Seized property
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Yesterday I collected our seized property. The whole situation has been a complete joke from start to finish and it's felt like I've been fighting yet another battle from seizure to return. To add further trauma I found collection to be yet another triggering event. Certainly not something I anticipated at all.
When my husband was arrested he was outside his workplace, I was home. The majority of property was taken from our home. Some of which had absolutely no relevance to the offence but was taken anyway. I was told I would receive an itemised list of property but never was. Once sentenced all property was approved for return, nothing was to be destroyed. I questioned the lack of documentation, I questioned timescale, I questioned constantly and was met with appauling responses and barriers. Eventually I was told by the OIC that I couldn't collect anything, that it must be by husband. I questioned why this would be the case when it was me present at seizure. They then changed tact and said I could collect everything except the phone taken from my husband. I questioned this and with legal intervention this then changed.
The OIC told me the department holding the property would be in touch but it could take time. I was told not to worry about collection timescale, I questioned this as I'd heard of property being 'lost' or 'destroyed'. I waited until my blood boiled. I then emailed OIC and requested contact details of the location of the property together with a list of property seized. They gave me a 'rough idea' of what they'd taken ( their words). They gave me a reference number and contact number which they evidently could have given me before.
I attended yesterday with my Mum as I don't drive. There was no car park so we had to park nearby. I buzzed as instructed and was greeted at the gates by an officer with a huge zip fastened evidence bag. It may as well have had flashing blue lights! It weighed a ton. He handed it over, got me to sign to say I'd received it and shut the gate. I was left at the side of the road in public view with a huge, heavy police evidence bag until my 72 year old Mum moved the car. Initially I was mortified & embarrassed then felt relief that everything had been returned. When home I was faced with a whole host of unexpected emotions taking me straight back to 2021 on the day of 'the knock'. Unpacking everything has been traumatic. It is a stark reminder of the PTSD that is often a result of 'the knock'. This is yet another part of this journey that is a battle. The moral of my rant is don't trust the police, question everything, insist on answers and be ready when your day comes to collect your property. It's not easy xx
When my husband was arrested he was outside his workplace, I was home. The majority of property was taken from our home. Some of which had absolutely no relevance to the offence but was taken anyway. I was told I would receive an itemised list of property but never was. Once sentenced all property was approved for return, nothing was to be destroyed. I questioned the lack of documentation, I questioned timescale, I questioned constantly and was met with appauling responses and barriers. Eventually I was told by the OIC that I couldn't collect anything, that it must be by husband. I questioned why this would be the case when it was me present at seizure. They then changed tact and said I could collect everything except the phone taken from my husband. I questioned this and with legal intervention this then changed.
The OIC told me the department holding the property would be in touch but it could take time. I was told not to worry about collection timescale, I questioned this as I'd heard of property being 'lost' or 'destroyed'. I waited until my blood boiled. I then emailed OIC and requested contact details of the location of the property together with a list of property seized. They gave me a 'rough idea' of what they'd taken ( their words). They gave me a reference number and contact number which they evidently could have given me before.
I attended yesterday with my Mum as I don't drive. There was no car park so we had to park nearby. I buzzed as instructed and was greeted at the gates by an officer with a huge zip fastened evidence bag. It may as well have had flashing blue lights! It weighed a ton. He handed it over, got me to sign to say I'd received it and shut the gate. I was left at the side of the road in public view with a huge, heavy police evidence bag until my 72 year old Mum moved the car. Initially I was mortified & embarrassed then felt relief that everything had been returned. When home I was faced with a whole host of unexpected emotions taking me straight back to 2021 on the day of 'the knock'. Unpacking everything has been traumatic. It is a stark reminder of the PTSD that is often a result of 'the knock'. This is yet another part of this journey that is a battle. The moral of my rant is don't trust the police, question everything, insist on answers and be ready when your day comes to collect your property. It's not easy xx
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