A POLICE force is striving to raise awareness of a manipulative crime which sees people with learning disabilities taken advantage of.

Mate crime is the term used for when someone deliberately befriends a vulnerable person before coercing them into committed illegal acts.

The crooks prey on targets who may feel isolated or find it difficult to make friends so are therefore willing to accept friendship even from people who are horrible to them.

The victims are then manipulated into committing crimes, such as money laundering, and they may also have their homes taken over by drugs gangs.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “If you're worried that you or a friend are a victim of 'mate crime' please report it to us.

“Either use our website essex.police.uk or call 101, or in an emergency always call 999.”