£20,000 reward offered for discs

[TrueBlueTerrier]

OK Whichever Postman has them can now have a handy amount ready for Christmas

A reward of £20,000 is being offered for the return of the HM Revenue and Customs CDs containing the personal details of 25 million people.

It comes as the main searches end for the discs lost after being sent from the HMRC office in Newcastle to the National Audit Office in London.

Police say they are now extending the searches to "rule out" other locations.

And they are appealing to HMRC, NAO and Treasury staff to check "in case the package or discs have turned up".

The two unencrypted discs, containing the entire child benefit database, were posted from HMRC offices October, but never turned up at the National Audit Office.

Bank details

The prime minister and chancellor have apologised and an inquiry is under way, alongside a police investigation.

Millions of families have been told to be on the alert for fraudulent use of their details, which include children's names, addresses, dates of birth and National Insurance and bank details.

The HMRC sent letters last week to the seven million households whose records were on the discs, in which it said it expected the CDs were still on government property.

The update from the Metropolitan Police, who are leading the search, does not go so far, although it does say "to date there is no evidence that the lost data has ended up in criminal possession".


Indications suggest that these locations are less likely to have been a transit route for the parcel than the areas already searched
Met Police statement

The statement adds: "The inquiry has been particularly challenging due to how common CDs are within offices, the number and size of the offices requiring searches and the number of organisations where the package may have travelled through.

"The main searches have concluded and we are now extending to areas that require searches or enquiries to be made in order to rule them out.

"However, indications suggest that these locations are less likely to have been a transit route for the parcel than the areas already searched."

The statement also reveals that the core team hunting the discs has been cut from 47 to 32.

It sets out day-by-day the searches that have taken place of offices and computers and even a rubbish tip.

The update on the progress of the search came as it was reported in the Daily Telegraph that the identities of up to 350 of people in witness protection programmes were contained on the CDs.

Search chronology:

Thursday 15 November: 2007 The Metropolitan Police Service was first informed of the loss and was asked to provide assistance to enquiries being led by HMRC.

Sunday 18 November: Police investigation begins after handover from HMRC at 1430GMT. Searches of NAO started.

Monday 19 November: Searches and enquiries at HMRC. Searches continue at NAO.

Tuesday 20 November: Searches of NAO 157-197 Buckingham Palace Road. Searches of HMRC Waterview Park.

Wednesday 21 November: Searches of HMRC Waterview Park re-commence. Enquiries made at DWP Long Benton, including forensic computer work on workstations.

Thursday 22 November: Searches of HMRC Waterview Park continue.

Friday 23 November: Searches and enquiries of HMRC Waterview Park continue. Further enquiries made and forensic computer work at DWP at Long Benton. Searches begin at TNT depot London City hub.

Saturday 24 November: Searches of HMRC Waterview Park continue. Enquires continue TNT London City hub. Enquiries start at TNT Accrington hub.

Sunday 25 November: Searches of HMRC Waterview Park continue. Enquiries and searches made HMRC Customs House.

Monday 26 November: Enquiries continue HMRC Waterview Park. Search NAO post room Blackpool.

Tuesday 27 November: Enquiries continue HMRC Waterview Park. Searches of TNT Durham hub. Searches at NAO - 157-197 Buckingham Palace Road.

Wednesday 28 November: Enquiries HMRC Newcastle. Enquiries made TNT Cumbernauld. Computer examinations continue.

Thursday 29 November: Computer examinations continue Enquiries made at waste disposal site at Rainham. Further enquiries with TNT, including searches of TNT - Lount.

Friday 30 November: Enquiries made HMRC Newcastle. Enquiries with Royal Mail. Further computer work

[brothermagrew]

I'm Spartacus, where does one collect the dough from Teebs?

[rhino49]

How much are they offering for all the copies of them that have probably been made by now ?

[DGP1]

This is what the government really means about the discs