Leicestershire Police open new 'high life' probe after Audi R8 sold for £70,000
Police are investigating 80 people who have been accused of living the high life on the proceeds of crime.
Leicestershire Police received the tip-offs from members of the public in the wake of its decision to sell a convicted criminal's sports car on eBay last month.
The car, an Audi R8, has been sold for £70,000 – which has now been paid into public funds for use in the fight against crime.
The force said the sale demonstrated its powers to strip criminals of their ill-gotten gains under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Sunday, June 30 2013
The £95,000 car was confiscated by a court after its owner – a Leicestershire warehouse worker – failed to explain how he paid for it.
Dave Hargrave, of the force's economic crime unit, said: "Since the publicity around the sale of the Audi last month, we've received 80 items of information from members of the public.
"They relate to what we call acquisitive crime, including money laundering and drugs offences.
"These are now being investigated and we will find if this information has any merit."
Mr Hargrave said the force was preparing two more cars – which have also been confiscated from their convicted criminal owners – for auction on its eBay account.
The vehicles, a 2007 Mazda MPS and a 1996 Range Rover Vogue, are expected to be listed for a seven-day auction next week.
The Audi was originally offered for sale through the Force's eBay shop, but failed to attract a buyer. It was sold for £70,000 through a specialist website to a private buyer in the east of England, the force confirmed yesterday.
At the beginning of the latest publicity drive last month, Zuffar Haq, vice-chairman of Leicestershire Crimestoppers, said: "There has been a tremendous response from the public. Some of the people they have mentioned will no doubt turn out to be entirely innocent.
"But if this leads to one criminal being arrested and having the proceeds of crime confiscated, then it will have been worth it.
"It is vital that information comes in and we want to thank everyone for ringing in."
Leicestershire is the only British police force to operate an eBay shop to sell valuables seized from convicted criminals. In the three years it has been running auctions, it has raised a total of £640,000.
Half the proceeds of sales are divided between the force, the courts and the Crown Prosecution Service in Leicestershire. The remainder is paid to central government, which distributes some to good causes.
Contact Leicestershire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
www.leics.police.uk/ebay
Comments
by Bob491
Thursday, October 11 2012, 2:25PM
“Quote: "IF ever my six numbers come to fruition i will employ an accountant to save me as much tax as is possible"
Am I correct in thinking that prizes from the National Lottery are not taxable?
Tazzyboy1, you might find your accountant charges you more than you would save on not paying taxes as you should!”
by LikeItaLot
Wednesday, October 10 2012, 12:47PM
“Taxing inheritance is not robbery, it is a tax on unearned income, that is unearned by the recipient. One of the fairer taxes”
by tazzyboy1
Wednesday, October 10 2012, 8:58AM
“Oh dear, jealousy, plain and simple rearing it's ugly head again!...........i am now 54 yrs old, have worked hard since i left school, never claimed benefits (even tho' sometimes i could have), i have paid tax ever since in more forms than i care to mention and i seem to have less money now than ever, believe me, IF ever my six numbers come to fruition i will employ an accountant to save me as much tax as is possible, i will look at every avenue open to me and use every option possible to cut the taxman out of my plans, i will pay ONLY what i have to by law, as far as i am concerned, this country has had enough from me, it intends to take a lot more by the time i expire, (and even then it will rob my children of their inheritance if it can!) and i would feel no guilt whatsoever in keeping its hand out of my pocket wherever possible,............and before all the keepers of the nation's morals decide to reply apopleptic, remember, if YOU want to give half of your stash to the Govt, feel free, you'll get no argument from me!”
by Bob491
Tuesday, October 09 2012, 6:57PM
“Bridgen again!”
by handymanphil
Tuesday, October 09 2012, 4:36PM
“Oh I do hope a certain MP is included in all these investigations!”
by Bob491
Monday, October 08 2012, 11:16PM
“Millionaires are no problem provided they came by their money honestly and pay tax on their earnings as they should.
Wealthy tax avoiders are another thing altogether.”
by bapcav
Monday, October 08 2012, 2:26PM
“Bob491 :
Haven't you noticed that most of the Labour shadow cabinet are also millionaires ?
As were most of Blair's cabinet and indeed all Labour cabinets as far back as Harold Wilson.”
by Bob491
Sunday, October 07 2012, 8:10PM
“Quote:"I would like to know what constitutes 'living the high life"
I guess the 95% unrich would like to know that answer.
But watching the 5% (if anyone has the time) would show it clearly.”
by karinfall1955
Sunday, October 07 2012, 10:19AM
“I would like to know what constitutes 'living the high life', the way things are going that will be sitting in the pub with half a shandy and a packet of crisps!”
by Bob491
Sunday, October 07 2012, 10:07AM
“Quote: " Because I have some savings in a tax-avoiding ISA, am I a criminal?"
This is a frequent but very dishonest response to the question of unpatriotic and greedy tax avoiders. Of course everyone knows that ISAs are a government scheme to encourage people to save.
This is completely different to those devising intricate methods to avoid paying rightful amounts of tax that may or may not yet have been declared illegal. Hidden off shore tax havens are just one part of the story.
Unfortunately we now have a millionaire Con government which has deliberately cut the number of tax inspectors, to restrict their ability to go after these greedy, selfish tax avoiders, many of whom will be Con supporters. There's a surprise.”