How Bradford police are helping to get the most out of criminal cash (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

How Bradford police are helping to get the most out of criminal cash

7:52am Friday 3rd September 2010 in

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Every Monday throughout the summer holidays, youngsters have gathered at Wyke Recreation Park for an afternoon of sport.

They have learned to play rugby, and had a great time. The well-attended activity, for eight to 16-year-olds, was one of a number of community schemes that have been made possible through cash seized by West Yorkshire Police from criminals.

Using powers handed to them under the Proceeds of Crime Act, thousands of pounds-worth of cash and assets have been seized and reinvested in projects across the district, to benefit communities.

Run in conjunction with the Rugby Football League for All programme, Wyke Street Rugby sits alongside other initiatives such as the Zara football project in Heaton as examples of how the proceeds of crime are being used for the good of the community.

The project, which is supported by a host of other organisations including Bradford Bulls, Bradford Council and Wyke Amateur Rugby League Football Club, was boosted through the Why Should They campaign, launched last year across four Yorkshire police forces with the aim of curbing the benefits criminals gain from the misery of others.

Introduced in 2002, the Proceeds of Crime Act became operational the following year with the aim of ensuring that criminals do not benefit from crime, and that they are stripped of their ill-gotten gains.

“It gave new powers to the police in terms of confiscation recovery,” says Detective Sergeant Simon Pridgeon, of the Proceeds of Crime Unit for Bradford South. “Under those powers, officers are able to confiscate assets from convicted criminals including equity in property, cash held in bank accounts and motor vehicles.”

To reinforce their commitment to the cause, West Yorkshire Police has recruited 22 civilian financial investigators who have been fully trained and have power to attend court and confiscate assets.

A forfeiture order can also be made on assets believed to be gained from the proceeds of crime or intended for use in crime and can be made even before a suspect has been charged.

“If we discover a large sum of money at someone’s house, yet they are out of work and have no means of getting hold of such a sum, we can take that to a civil hearing and apply for a forfeiture order,” explains DS Pridgeon. Detailed investigations are then carried out to gather evidence to convict the individual.

Each division of West Yorkshire Police has its own POC unit. In the past 18 months, the South Bradford team has seized between £500,000 and £750,000 in cash, plus millions of pounds-worth of assets have been restrained.

Last year in North Bradford, £872,000 was seized after being discovered in a chimney stack.

The South Bradford team receives intelligence from different sources. “Someone could be driving around in an expensive car and living way beyond their means.

“People who are not working and have no other way of making such sums to lead such a lifestyle are likely to be involved in criminality,” says DS Pridgeon. “It is up to us to target and convict them and strip them of their assets. It sends out a clear message to the community that crime does not pay.”

This means that once a sentence is served and a criminal leaves prison, they do not have the trappings to resume life as they lived it before.

Goods seized cannot be put to use immediately. The process of gaining an order can sometimes take up to three years.

Cash gained is divided between different agencies and projects nationally and regionally, with an amount reinvested locally.

The community projects have knock-on benefits, keeping youngsters occupied over school holidays and deterring them from more anti-social activities.

Chief Superintendent Alison Rose, divisional commander for Bradford South, says: “Criminals should not be allowed to profit from the misery they inflict on others, and we will not stand by and let it happen. The Proceeds of Crime Act allows us to take the cash and reinvest it in the fight against crime and back into the neighbourhoods where the damage has been caused.

“We have been delighted to help put some of this money to good use in our community and will work hard to keep doing more.”

* Anyone who suspects someone is living off the proceeds of crime can ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555111, visit Crimestoppers-uk.org, or look at whyshouldthey.com.