UK police make fifth arrest in investigation into TalkTalk hack

LONDON, Nov 25 (Reuters) - British police have arrested an 18-year-old youth from Wales in connection with a cyber attack on telecoms company TalkTalk, the fifth arrest in the case, police said in a statement late on Tuesday.

Police searched an address in the town of Llanelli and took the youth into custody on suspicion of blackmail. They did not name him or provide any further details.

TalkTalk said on Oct (HKSE: 3366-OL.HK - news) . 23 it had received a ransom demand from an unidentified party claiming responsibility for the attack. It (Other OTC: ITGL - news) said the demand for payment came by email into the corporate email account of Chief Executive Dido Harding.

The four others who have been arrested as part of the investigation into the TalkTalk hack are three younger teenagers and one 20-year-old man.

All four are suspected of Computer Misuse Act offences and have been bailed pending further inquiries.

The Oct. 21 attack, which experts said appeared to use well-established hacking techniques, resulted in the theft of data from some of the phone and broadband provider's 4 million customers. (Reporting by Estelle Shirbon, Editing by Paul Sandle)