Dilemma: Is there anything the Police can actually do to help?

[whiskeysheri]

'Afternoon!

It's a bit of a long story, but here goes...

I take my nan to the bank every week and a couple of months ago the lady who works in there (who my nan is also friendly with) hinted that my nan's friend, P, had been in a lot recently and been drawing out unusually large amounts of money. She had been accompanied by two younger women on these occasions. My nan's friend, P, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's in the last year, too, and it's pretty bad. P had told the lady who works in the bank, almost every time, that the money was for a new 3-piece suite(!)

Anyway, I witnessed her drawing out �700 a couple of weeks ago myself. P was with one of these ladies at the time and the woman panicked when she realised P knew me.

So, on Friday, my nan sat P down and explained what she thinks has been happening and we took P down to the bank, so that she could talk to the lady who works there to confirm everything. Needless to say P got herself very upset and feels very foolish, but can't actually remember doing any of it because of the Alzheimer's.

Today the lady in the bank has told us that P came in again yesterday with the women and drew another large sum! She obviously can't remember anything that she's been told from last week and it's awful. My nan has been told by P that she can never find the money she's hidden around the house and also told her that these women suggest where to hide it (but obviously can't make the connestion).

Is there anything the Police can do if we were to inform them? They make me sick. :( The lady at the bank has already said there is nothing they can do due to all the confidentiality regulations.

Many thanks for any advice in advance.

[Whickerman]

Absolutely there is.

P is really lucky to have friends that care like this. Get in touch with the police station and speak to someone there - there'll be plenty of them more than willing to smash this ring.

[Ethel]

I am concerned because the bank can and do alert the police to this sort of thing but is absolutely in the wrong even hinting at it to you.

Contact the police

[tigerlily11]

I agree with Whicker here. I would be calling the police right now.

[bensmum]

I would have thought that there was a breach of confidentiality already in mentioning it to your nan so surely the bank should alert the police. I would contact them myself now - it sickens me that there are those who take advantage of vulnerable people and I imagine the police would take action

[China Doll]

Police sweetcheeks, you absolutely can report it. Also, is your friend having ongoing care provided by social services in order to support her living at home? Are these women potentially carers or people she knows? Does she have any family living locally? You've got my number if you need it chuckles, there may be other avenues to explore but definitely get the police involved.

[Eve]

As said above, sounds like the breach of confidentiality has already happened.

I'm with Ethel in wondering why the bank haven't reported it themselves as I imagine banks have very strict reporting criteria for suspected fraud, theft etc...

I imagine the lady in the bank could potentially get into a lot of trouble for the breach of confidentiality and maybe this is why it hasn't been reported to superiors for then to alert the police.

This needs to be reported and stopped and your nan's friend needs to have proper care in order that this kind of thing cannot happen again even if this means giving only a responsible person proper authorised access to her money and personal details formalised in a power of attorney.

[Eve]

Just found this...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/moneybox /6513835.stm

If you have problems trying to get them to take action I'd get others involved such as local media and groups who help protect the old and vunerable eg Age Concern, Altzheimers societies etc...

[whiskeysheri]

That's brilliant, thank you all so much. I feel a bit of an idiot questioning whether or not to report it and asking this question now!

Ethel, I thought exactly that myself. I just put it down to the lady working at the bank knowing more about how it works better than I do. Clearly not, but I am grateful she's pointed it out.

Whickerman, I'm just so glad that my nan is still with it enough to not let anyone take advantage of her in the same way. P has one son who she hasn't heard from since the day he moved out at age 18 (he'll be in his 40s now). On Friday I told her to only draw out what she really needed to just get by on and whenever she needed more, I insisted that I would take her down again, but sadly it doesn't seem like she remembers Friday at all. :(

China, hey, sweets! She has a social worker of some sort (I think!) and my nan has phoned her previously, but nothing has happened. These women live next door to her and they charge her �50 per week to take her a meal round in the evening. She eats like a bird and I doubt if she eats �50 worth of food per month, let alone in seven meals per week.

Thank you for your post, Jenna. I'm going to report it to the Police and to the bank, but I won't mention which particular lady it was that told me.

Thanks again, all of you. I really, really appreciate it.

[arline]

yep report ur suspicions to the police they will check it out and they have CCTv