£6million in criminal cash confiscated (From Bucks Free Press)

£6million in criminal cash confiscated

12:15pm Tuesday 15th May 2012 in The Chalfonts By James Nadal

CONFISCATED cash from convicted criminals totalled more than £6million last year.

Victims of crime were compensated with over £4.5m after the money was seized by Thames Valley Police.

The force has powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act to pursue people convicted of criminal offences, so that officers can confiscate the value or benefit of their crimes.

In the last financial year the force made 198 successful confiscations through the courts, totalling £6,012,174.84.

Detective Inspector Gavin Tyrrell, from Thames Valley Police’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “This huge confiscation figure is not just made up of high value fraudsters, but local criminals who harm local communities.

“The even more positive message out of this is that as soon as the confiscation is paid, the victims are the first to be compensated.

“It is wrong for criminals to benefit from their crimes and we will use this powerful legislation to ensure that crime will not pay in the Thames Valley.”

Police have asked readers who know anyone living from the proceeds of crime to call the 24-hour non-emergency number 101.

Contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.