Merseyside Police withdrew £76,461 in cash (in 5 trips) from a HSBC branch but what was the money used for?

Merseyside Police withdrew £76,461 in cash (in 5 trips) from a HSBC branch but what was the money used for?

Merseyside Police withdrew £76,461 in cash (in 5 trips) from a HSBC branch but what was the money used for?

                              

Continuing my stories about the financial records of Merseyside Police I turn to documents 1810, 1652, 1580, 1435 and 1751 to make a point about redaction and jigsaw identification. XXXX represents redactions.

In reverse chronological order:-
1751

(Merseyside Police logo)

Our ref.
Your ref.

7th March 2019

Dear XXXXX

PAYMENT BY CASH

I should be obliged if £19,196.00 in cash could be drawn from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside Payments Account No. XXXXXXXX on 12th March 2019. I would be grateful if the cash could be broken down into the following denominations:-

£15,000.00 in £20
£3,500.00 in £10
£500.00 in £5
£196.00 in £1

I have arranged for two Police Officers to attend the XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX on Tuesday 12th March at about 10.30am. The officers names are:-


  • XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  • XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Both officers will present their warrant cards for ID purposes.

I think you for your co-operation in this matter.

Yours sincerely

XXXXXXXX XXXXXX

XXXXXXXX Second Account Signatory

XXXXXXXX Head of Finance

XXXXXXXXX Tel XXXXXXXXXXXX Fax XXXXXXXXXXX email XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


1435

(Merseyside Police logo)

Our ref.
Your ref.

11th January 2019

Dear XXXXX

PAYMENT BY CASH

I should be obliged if £18,666.00 in cash could be drawn from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside Payments Account No. XXXXXXXX on 22nd January 2019. I would be grateful if the cash could be broken down into the following denominations:-

£10,000.00 in £20
£8,000.00 in £10
£500.00 in £5
£130.00 in £1
£36.00 in 50p

I have arranged for two Police Officers to attend the XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX on Tuesday 22nd January at about 10.30am. The officers names are:-


  • XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  • XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Both officers will present their warrant cards for ID purposes.

I think you for your co-operation in this matter.

Yours sincerely

XXXXXXXX XXXXXX Acting Head of Finance Merseyside Police

XXXXXXXX Second Account Signatory

XXXXXXXX Head of Finance

XXXXXXXXX Tel XXXXXXXXXXXX Fax XXXXXXXXXXX email XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

1580

(Merseyside Police logo)

Our ref.
Your ref.

22nd October 2018

Dear XXXXX

PAYMENT BY CASH

I should be obliged if £11,155.00 in cash could be drawn from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside Payments Account No. XXXXXXXX on 25th October 2018. I would be grateful if the cash could be broken down into the following denominations:-

£10,000.00 in £20
£1,000.00 in £10
£155.00 in £1

I have arranged for two Police Officers to attend the HSBC XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX on Thursday 25th October at about 10.30am. The officers names are:-


  • Sgt XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  • DC XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Both officers will present their warrant cards for ID purposes.

I think you for your co-operation in this matter.

Yours sincerely

XXXXXXXX XXXXXX Acting Head of Finance Merseyside Police

XXXXXXXX Second Account Signatory

XXXXXXXX Head of Finance

PO Box 59 Liverpool L69 1JD Tel XXXXXXXXXXXX Fax 0XXXXXXXXXX email XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX@merseyside.police.uk

1652

(Merseyside Police logo)

Our ref.
Your ref.

6th August 2018

Dear XXXXX

PAYMENT BY CASH

I should be obliged if £13,340.00 in cash could be drawn from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside Payments Account No. XXXXXXXX on 21st August 2018. I would be grateful if the cash could be broken down into the following denominations:-

£13,000.00 in £20
£300.00 in £5
£40.00 in 50p

I have arranged for two Police Officers to attend the HSBC XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX on Tuesday 21st August at about 10.30am. The officers names are:-


  • XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  • XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Both officers will present their warrant cards for ID purposes.

I think you for your co-operation in this matter.

Yours sincerely

XXXXXXXX XXXXXX Head of Finance Merseyside Police

XXXXXXXX Second Account Signatory

XXXXXXXX Head of Finance

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Tel XXXXXXXXXXXX Fax XXXXXXXXXXX email XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

1810

(Merseyside Police logo)

XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXX

Our ref.
Your ref.

9th May 2018

Dear XXXXX

PAYMENT BY CASH

I should be obliged if £14,104.00 in cash could be drawn from the XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Account No. XXXXXXXX on 17th May 2018. I would be grateful if the cash could be broken down into the following denominations:-

£14,000.00 in £20 notes
£104.00 in £1 coins

I have arranged for two Police Officers to attend the HSBC XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX on Thursday 17th May at about 10.30am. The officers names are:-


  • XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  • XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Both officers will present their warrant cards for ID purposes.

I think you for your co-operation in this matter.

Yours sincerely

XXXXXXXX XXXXXX Head of Finance Merseyside Police

XXXXXXXX Second Account Signatory

XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

PO Box 59 Liverpool L69 1JD Tel XXXXXXXXXXXX Fax XXXXXXXXXXX email XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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Author: John Brace

New media journalist from Birkenhead, England who writes about Wirral Council. Published and promoted by John Brace, 134 Boundary Road, Bidston, CH43 7PH. Printed by UK Webhosting Ltd t/a Tsohost, 113-114 Buckingham Avenue, Slough, Berkshire, England, SL1 4PF.

5 thoughts on “Merseyside Police withdrew £76,461 in cash (in 5 trips) from a HSBC branch but what was the money used for?”

  1. For what legal purpose would any organisation want this much cash.

    The phrase “should be” is incorrect as it implies anticipation rather than expectation.

    1. Well, I could write a lot in response at this point, but journalistic scrutiny can only be taken so far before you reach a wall of silence and you just have to make educated guesses.

      But you’re right – the letters to the HSBC bank branch expect the money to be available on the dates and times specified.

      I can understand giving a few days notice though considering the sums involved.

      I can also understand why two police officers are sent.

      There are a bunch of decisions and matters that both myself and Leonora co-decide by deliberate design or we do together for the same reasons – one reason being to prevent any power being concentrated in the hands of one person and to prevent temptation.

    1. Thanks for those questions.

      Without asking more questions (which I doubt would get a sensible reply) I think I’d just have to point out that the use of cash is to reduce accountability and deliberately to not leave a paper trail.

Comments are closed.