A man amputated two of his fingers to make claims on six insurance policies, worth $180,000.

The man, of Pakistani origin and living in Girona, Spain, had told police his severed fingers were in his kitchen but officers found the digits and an amputation kit in a children’s play area.

Further investigations found that the man had taken out six accident policies with different insurance companies, which would have paid out $180,000 in total had he suffered an injury.

This was not the first time the fraudster had made a bogus claim for a self-inflicted injury - the year before he successfully swindled two insurers out of $35,000 for injuries to his other hand.

The hands-obsessive has been realised on charges.