Force gets £25k of criminals' cash

10:37am Friday 2nd January 2009

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WILTSHIRE Police is getting a £25,000 cash boost from assets seized from criminals, the Home Office announced today.

A total of £5.5m is being given to police forces in England and Wales, with £25,358.97 going to Wiltshire.

Criminal assets confiscated by police forces and other asset recovery agencies between July and September 2008 totalled £33.53m, half of which is to be shared between police, prosecutors and courts.

This compares with £3.71m paid out to police forces in the same quarter last year.

Since the Proceeds of Crime Act came into effect in 2003, £530.5m has been seized.

An incentive scheme introduced in 2006 allows the police and recovery agencies to retain half of all cash they seize from criminals.

Home Office Minister Alan Campbell said: “This scheme is a great benefit for policing. Taking money from criminals makes crime far less profitable for them.

“At the same time, that money is ploughed directly back into the police force that seized it so they can use it for their fight against crime in their area.

“Recovering more than £30m from criminals in the space of three months is a great achievement and I want to thank the police and other partners for their hard work in seizing the money and undermining criminal gangs.”

Mick Creedon, the Association of Chief Police Officers lead on Asset Recovery and Chief Constable of Derbyshire Constabulary, said: “The public are quite rightly sick and tired of seeing criminals leading lavish lifestyles without challenge and all forces across England and Wales are determined to respond to this and make full use of the available powers granted under the Proceeds of Crime Act and other legislation.

“We continue to work closely with the Home Office and other asset recovery agencies to ensure that not only crime doesn't pay, but that it is also seen by the public that it doesn't pay."