Police probe 'fraud cases and thefts' following Grenfell Tower disaster

Scotland Yard is investigating eight cases of fraud and four possible thefts in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster.

Detectives said they are probing alleged fraud cases involving people who claimed money following the fire in June.

Four possible thefts from flats on the lower levels while the building was under 24-hour security are also being probed, the force revealed.

Police also now believe that the death toll from the June 14 blaze may fall slightly from the current estimate of around 80.

And the Met announced that individuals could face manslaughter charges over the disaster as well as corporations.

Commander Stuart Cundy said the progress made in terms of recovering remains was "much higher" than he had expected three months ago.

Some 60 of the estimated 80 people killed in the fire have been formally identified, he said, adding that the exact figure would not be known until the investigation was complete.

He said the 80 figure "may come down a little bit" due to the recoveries made from the tower, the number of identifications made and video evidence from the night.

CCTV viewed by police showed that 240 people left the tower between midnight and 8am on the night of the fire.

But, he said, there could still be people with no social or family connection outside of the tower, and not on any official lists, who therefore could still be within the high-rise.

He declined to put a number on how many the death count could fall by.

The investigation has identified 2,400 people for witness statements. They include 670 firefighters, 340 police officers and a similar number of ambulance staff, as well as residents and others.

More than 1,000 of these statements have been taken so far. More than 2,500 exhibits have also been seized. Many of these were from the tower.

On the forensic examination, the Met said officers were “looking at every flat and every fire safety aspect of the building” and that “working with a range of experts and specialists, we expect it to continue into the new year”.

It added: “After that, there will be a series of forensic tests including reconstructions to establish what happened, how the fire spread and why.

"Only after that is complete will we be in a position to start to fully understand what happened, what went wrong and what questions need to be answered.”