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HOSPITAL CASH BAG A MYSTERY
Man leaves ‘five-figure sum’ on reception desk before fleeing
DETECTIVES are searching for a mystery man who left a brown paper stuffed with thousands of pounds on the front desk of a hospital reception.
They want to confirm whether the bundle of money was meant as a donation to the Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in Bloomsbury.
Staff were at first worried that the package could be a bomb. But their fears turned to relief when they saw the banknotes.
Police said on Wednesday they are investigating the source of the money, but, with investigators puzzled about who may be behind the sudden donation, the cash looks set to provide a welcome – if unexpected – boost to the hospital’s charity account.
The mystery man has only been described as “well-dressed”. The drop was made on the Friday before Christmas.
Although Great Ormond Street accountants are cautious about revealing the total, insiders suggested the haul was more than £20,000.
Witnesses said the discovery of the package had caused “a degree of panic” at the time.
One source said: “I don’t think anybody could believe what was happening. There wasn’t a bank robbery going on around the corner, so it is assumed that – although waiting times aren’t that bad – it was just a donor who wanted to be in and out as quickly as possible.”
The hospital is now waiting for clearance before banking the money.
A spokesman said: “The hospital did receive a five-figure donation this Christmas, in cash, from a well-dressed donor who left it at main reception without speaking to any member of staff. The money was left in a stout paper bag; he walked off. Staff were alert to the possibility of the package being a bomb but verified it was not dangerous through normal procedure.”
He added: “Obviously a substantial anonymous cash donation requires a number of checks to be made before it is accepted and these are under way. The hospital’s charity needs to raise £50 million each year to rebuild two major hospital buildings, support world class research, support children and their families and purchase equipment.”
A police spokesman said: “Police can confirm that a quantity of cash was brought into Holborn Police Station. Camden Police’s Payback Unit, which specialises in financial investigation, is making enquiries to establish the origins of the money.” |
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