Biggest-ever ID theft case arrests

Eleven people have been arrested in the US in connection with an alleged "international conspiracy" which amounts to the world's biggest-ever ID theft fraud. The 11 are accused of hacking into the computers of major retailers to steal 40m credit and debit card numbers. Three are US citizens, the others come from China, Estonia, Ukraine and Belarus.

The justice department said it was "the single largest and most complex identity theft case" ever to result in charges being brought.

US Attorney General Michael Mukasey said: "This case highlights our increasing vulnerability to the theft of personal information. Cases like these send a clear message to those who might be tempted to abuse our computer networks to steal information and harm law-abiding people and businesses.

"If you do, we will track you down wherever you are in the world, we will arrest you and we will send you to jail."