> it is unclear why the police told him it was civil It's just typical first level support. Police didn't see any obvious simple solution and wanted the issue

> it is unclear why the police told him it was civil It's just typical first level support. Police didn't see any obvious simple solution and wanted the issue out of their hair so they said the thing which usually gets the issue out of their hair. The person persisted and escalated the issue higher. (for example to the news papers.) And now "The BBC put Mr Hall in touch with Bedfordshire Police's fraud squad, which has begun an investigation."