Police in the canton of Neuchatel have detained three suspected fraudsters accused of impersonating police officers and bank employees to steal money and bank details. In two operations in Val-de-Travers and Villiers, investigators moved in after reports of ongoing scams. In one case they seized more than 10,000 francs in cash and returned the money to the victim. On Thursday, 15 October 2026, a bank alerted the Neuchatel cantonal police about a fraud case in Fleurier. The victim was withdrawing cash on the instructions of the alleged perpetrators, who had presented themselves as police officers. A plainclothes officer spotted the suspects’ vehicle and told the driver to stop. The driver ignored the order and fled. With support from the public safety service in Val-de-Travers, the vehicle was located again near Couvet. When the occupants noticed a police vehicle, the driver accelerated and continued the escape, including driving through traffic in a slalom and at times against the permitted direction. Police ultimately arrested two occupants. A search of the vehicle found more than 10,000 francs and several bank cards. Officers were able to return all the stolen money to the victim. A second operation took place on Saturday, 17 October 2026, around 19:00 in Villiers. Police responded after people received an SMS about alleged fraudulent debits from their bank accounts, instructing them to call a phone number. The person on the line allegedly posed as a bank employee and said someone would come to the victims’ homes to collect documents, bank cards and secret access codes. The victims reported the scam, and police located and arrested the driver nearby. The 26-year-old man admitted involvement and also confessed to two other similar offences in Auvernier and in the canton of Freiburg, where total damage amounted to 38,000 francs. The detainees were taken to a police post for further questioning. The public prosecutor’s office has taken over the investigations and opened criminal proceedings in all cases.