Four young people arrested in connection with damaging cyber attacks against major British retailers Marks & Spencer, the Co-op and Harrods have been released on bail. The National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed on Wednesday that all suspects remain under investigation.
The arrests took place on July 10 and involved a 17-year-old British man from the West Midlands, a 19-year-old Latvian man from the West Midlands, a 19-year-old British man from London, and a 20-year-old British woman from Staffordshire. All four were detained at their home addresses.
Serious charges under investigation
The suspects face allegations including blackmail, money laundering, offences under the Computer Misuse Act, and participating in organised crime group activities. Police also seized electronic devices during the raids at their properties.
An NCA spokesperson said: "All four individuals have been bailed pending further inquiries." The arrests followed extensive investigations into coordinated attacks where hackers demanded ransom payments after infiltrating the retailers' IT systems.
M&S suffered heaviest losses
Marks & Spencer became the first target when hackers struck on Easter Sunday, forcing the retailer to shut down multiple systems in response. The company has revealed the cyber attack cost approximately £300 million after its website remained offline for six weeks.
The Co-op experienced significant disruption from May onwards, with payment systems affected and shelves left bare due to the attack's fallout. Hackers also stole personal data belonging to Co-op members, including names and contact details.
Harrods targeted in May
Harrods restricted internet access across its websites in May following attempts by criminals to gain unauthorised access to its systems. The luxury department store took precautionary measures to protect customer data and business operations.
The coordinated nature of these attacks against three major British retailers highlights the growing threat posed by organised cybercrime groups targeting high-profile companies for financial gain.
(PA/London) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
