Police investigating a series of delivery scams across Hertfordshire have made three arrests.

The fraud involved victims across the county receiving packages that were addressed to them but contained items they had not ordered.

A short while later a courier arrived to collect the packages, claiming they had been delivered to the wrong address.

In most cases the packages contained either iPhones or laptops despatched by AO, police said.

Today, Hertfordshire Constabulary said a 32-year-old man from Peckham, another man of the same age from New Cross, and a 31-year-old woman from Peckham were arrested in connection with nine fraud offences.

They have since been released under investigation whilst enquiries continue.

The arrests came after a homeowner in Stevenage received two packages from AO and a short while later received a call from someone explaining there had been a mistake and that he would come to collect the package.

But the victim called police before the suspect came to the address.

Police attended the scene and arrested one man. A man and woman were arrested in Kent after a vehicle linked to the offences was stopped by police.

Below is advice from the county’s police force following the delivery scams:

• If possible, don’t accept or sign for parcels you haven’t ordered.

• If a parcel you have received is not something you have ordered, you should not hand the parcel over to someone calling at your door unless you have made a prior arrangement for its collection and you are able to check the identity of the caller.

• If you realise a parcel you have received is something you have not ordered, you should immediately contact the company to arrange for its collection. Remember to ask how to ensure the identity of the person collecting it.