Woman told to repay £1,900 found in Telford Home Bargains
A woman who took £1,900 she found in a Home Bargains shop will be forced to repay it.
The cash was dropped by the victim in the store in Donnington on July 27 as a she stopped off on the way to the bank.
But when she came back to collect it, she discovered that it had gone.
The woman who picked up the money, who was in her 50s, was given a conditional caution by police and has agreed to pay back the money back to the victim. Accepting a conditional caution involves admitting the offence. Police have warned her that if she fails to keep up payments they may choose to prosecute her.
Police issued an appeal for information after CCTV images showing the incident were released by Home Bargains on July 27.
A 57-year-old woman came forward to help police with their inquiries after stills of the CCTV footage were released last week. The victim, 53, from the Telford area, said the theft had caused her to be too afraid to carry money.
“I just use bank cards,” she said. “Any money I have to carry, I give it to my son. I just don’t feel like I can take responsibility for it.
“A few years ago I had a stroke. I’m at hospital because of stress, not just because of this but it certainly hasn’t helped. This has really knocked me about. I’m so angry that anybody could be so dishonest.
“For all they knew, I was going to pay for a medical bill or something really serious like that.”
The victim said she had not been able to sleep when she realised someone had taken the money. “My husband was annoyed when it happened, then became more concerned with how it affected me,” she said. “His words to me was that it was only money – but it was only a lot of money.”
‘Finding’ money has come to the forefront after Nicole Bailey, 23, found £20 in a One Stop store in Blurton, Stoke-on-Trent and ended up with a criminal record after deciding to keep it for herself.
The cash had been withdrawn beforehand by another customer, who informed staff when he returned and found it had been taken. Ms Bailey was given a conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £175 in costs and charges.
But not before her name had hit newspapers across the country and caused a storm on social media.
