Gravesend Couple Loses £110,000 Cash Stash After Police Probe
£110k Cash Found in Kitchen Cupboard
Kent Police swooped on a Gravesend home on 17 December 2020 and uncovered two vacuum-packed bags stuffed with cash hidden in the kitchen cupboard. The owners, Lee Martin, 35, and his wife Hayley, 42, claimed the money was left by a deceased relative and was meant for family Christmas gifts.
Investigation Cracks Their Story
But cops weren’t convinced. A deep dive into bank accounts and HMRC income records suggested the relative could not have legally amassed such a huge sum. Even more suspicious, some of the notes in the cash bundle were dated after the relative’s death.
Cash Seized Under Proceeds of Crime Act
Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate launched a financial probe and took the case to Margate Magistrates’ Court. On 2 December 2022, the court ordered the full £111,040 plus interest forfeited, as the Martins failed to prove the cash was legitimately earned.
Detective Inspector Dave Godfrey of Kent Police’s Economic Crime Unit said: “While Mr and Mrs Martin were never charged with any criminal offences in relation to this incident, they were unable to provide a verifiable explanation as to where the money came from. The Proceeds of Crime Act enables our financial investigators to ensure any money potentially acquired through criminal means is not used to fund further unlawful activity.”
