Police have arrested two men following reports of gift card tampering at a Dereham supermarket, discovering thousands of cards in a seized van. The suspects are now also facing charges of fraud and forgery.
Police responded to reports of gift card tampering at a supermarket in Dereham at approximately 2pm on Wednesday. Following the initial alert, two men were arrested at an address in Thetford, and a van was seized in connection with the investigation.
Inside the vehicle, authorities discovered thousands of gift cards. Both suspects were initially detained on suspicion of theft and taken to Wymondham Police Investigation Centre for questioning, where they remain in custody. The two men have since been further arrested on suspicion of fraud and forgery.
The Eastern Daily Press is reporting that the investigation is ongoing.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.norfolk.police.uk/news/norfolk/news/news/2025/april/fraud-arrests-in-dereham/ – This report corroborates the incident of gift card tampering at a supermarket in Dereham, leading to arrests and further investigation.
- https://www.wisbusiness.com/2024/better-business-bureau-tip-dont-get-scammed-out-of-a-gift-card/ – This article details how gift card scams work, including tampering with barcodes and draining funds, which aligns with the type of gift card tampering reported in the initial incident.
- https://advertisinglaw.fkks.com/post/102jq5p/gift-cards-now-subject-to-security-requirements-to-prevent-draining-scams – It explains the growing concern over gift card scams and the legislative efforts to combat them, highlighting the severity of the issue across different regions.
- https://www.minsterbank.com/resources/learn/blog/security/gift-card-scams/ – This resource provides tips on avoiding gift card scams, which includes keeping track of receipts and reporting fraud, further emphasizing the importance of vigilance in preventing such crimes.
- https://www.arkoselabs.com/latest-news/he-bought-20-gift-cards-and-7-were-worthless-gift-card-fraud-is-out-of-control/ – This article illustrates the extent of gift card fraud, including examples of drained cards and the organized criminal activities involved, which supports the notion that such crimes are widespread and serious.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The event is reported as an ongoing investigation, indicating that the information is likely recent. There is no clear indication that this is old or recycled news.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
There are no direct quotes in the narrative, so there is no need to verify any quotes.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from the Eastern Daily Press, a well-known regional publication. However, the reliability might vary compared to national or international outlets.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims about arrests and seizures are plausible and common in criminal investigations, though specific details might require further verification.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative appears to be recent and is from a known publication. The lack of quotes and absence of explicit evidence for verification do not detract from its general credibility. However, plausibility checks suggest typical police procedural outcomes.
