Teh One Who Knocks
04-05-2017, 12:10 PM
By Kieran Corcoran - Heat Street
http://i.imgur.com/jhdaiZnh.jpg
More than £45,000 ($55,000) of taxpayers’ money was spent on the cell phone bill of a criminal who was given the device by police.
The phone was used to run up enormous data charges after being handed over to a burglar in Anglesey, North Wales, while he was out on bail.
The unnamed crook had been given the free device as part of a scheme to help officers keep track of suspects.
But before he was put on trial, and subsequently jailed, he gave it to friends, who kept using it.
According to The Daily Post newspaper, it took six months for police to realize that usage fees for the device were costing them almost £2,000 ($2,500) a week.
It later emerged that police thought the criminal had been given a pay-as-you-go phone, and would need to top it up himself.
In fact, the device had been included on the police force’s overall service plan, and the balance was automatically paid in full every month from the police budget.
The police attempted to charge the two men who were given the phone with theft.
But, according to the Post, they had technically done nothing wrong, since there were no usage conditions attached to the phone.
The blunder took place in 2014, but only emerged this week after a freedom of information request brought the figures to light.
A spokesman for North Wales Police said they have now changed their policies.
http://i.imgur.com/jhdaiZnh.jpg
More than £45,000 ($55,000) of taxpayers’ money was spent on the cell phone bill of a criminal who was given the device by police.
The phone was used to run up enormous data charges after being handed over to a burglar in Anglesey, North Wales, while he was out on bail.
The unnamed crook had been given the free device as part of a scheme to help officers keep track of suspects.
But before he was put on trial, and subsequently jailed, he gave it to friends, who kept using it.
According to The Daily Post newspaper, it took six months for police to realize that usage fees for the device were costing them almost £2,000 ($2,500) a week.
It later emerged that police thought the criminal had been given a pay-as-you-go phone, and would need to top it up himself.
In fact, the device had been included on the police force’s overall service plan, and the balance was automatically paid in full every month from the police budget.
The police attempted to charge the two men who were given the phone with theft.
But, according to the Post, they had technically done nothing wrong, since there were no usage conditions attached to the phone.
The blunder took place in 2014, but only emerged this week after a freedom of information request brought the figures to light.
A spokesman for North Wales Police said they have now changed their policies.