Crime does pay for local hospice.

Photo (c) West Midlands Police

Birmingham shoppers may be in for a bargain after local police put property seized from a prolific thief to good use by donating thousands of pounds worth of designer clothing to a local charity.

Nine sacks of clothing valued at around £6,000 and including top-end High Street labels like Ugg Boots and Ted Baker were confiscated by police during a search of an address in Romsley Road, Bartley Green, back in August 2011.

A 39-year-old woman arrested from the address was charged with theft and possessing criminal property. She was handed a 12-month prison term, suspended for two years, when she appeared in court last November and in July officers from the Selly Oak Police Investigation Team secured a Police Property Act order from Birmingham magistrates granting them the garments which they presented to grateful staff at St Mary’s Hospice charity shop.

Birmingham South Police Inspector Cate Webb-Jones, said: ” We were able to prove to the court that, beyond reasonable doubt, the woman hadn’t bought these items of clothing. It’s always very satisfying when, through the Proceeds of Crime Act or the Police Property Act, we are able to seize property from criminals and put the proceeds to good use in the community or reinvest it in our fight against crime.

Claire Marshall from St Mary’s Hospice, said: “We deliver vital end-of-life care and support to more than 1,000 families in Birmingham every year. To do this we rely heavily on donations; the money we can raise from selling these clothes in our 12 Birmingham shops will enable us to fund key services for those in need. We could not continue our important work without the help of donors such as West Midlands Police, and we are very grateful for their support.”