Cash fiasco exposes police system flaws

(The Standard 21 Feb 2014)Honesty pays - but not always, as one disconcerted couple discovered. The couple found HK$1,900 left at a cash machine in 2009.

Like good citizens, they handed in the money at the Happy Valley police station and reported where they had found it.

 In return, they were informed that if no one claimed the money within three months, the money was theirs in accordance with the Force Procedures Manual.

However, a few weeks later the person who had withdrawn but failed to collect the money reported the loss to the Wan Chai police station.

The police constable was unaware of the couple's report in the Happy Valley station and classified the case as theft. The constable later identified the couple through CCTV footage and bank records and interviewed them under suspicion of theft.

 The couple, dissatisfied with the handling of the case, lodged a complaint, pointing out the failure of the police's computer systems to identify the relationship between the two cases, and the constable's failure to explain the reason for his inquiries.

The couple later withdrew their complaint, but the Complaints Against Police Office continued to probe the case and singled out the station sergeant at Happy Valley police station, saying he should have taken appropriate action to locate the owner of the property before releasing the cash to the couple.

The sergeant was accused of one count of neglect of duty and was disciplined.

 Independent Police Complaints Council deputy secretary-general Daniel Mui Tat-ming said the computer systems of the two stations were not connected.

 "Police officers must confirm the investigation with the bank as there are CCTV cameras," he said.

IPCC secretary-general Ricky Chu Man-kin suggested the police should update its guidelines on handling lost items.

 "Under current guidelines, uncollected monies at ATMs are treated as found property. But ATMs are part of a bank's premises and the money should be handed to the bank," Chu said.

Lawyer Vitus Leung Wing-hang said victims in such cases would not be prosecuted but he advised citizens not to take the money.

 "We advise citizens to wait until someone retrieves the money or call the bank staff to deal with it. They should not touch the money so as to avoid suspicion."

 Police Commissioner Andy Tsang Wai- hung admitted there were errors when processing this case. A police spokesman said there will be amendments to the internal procedures on found property.

Beatrice Siu