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St Ives police get Joanne Beaven's stolen wallet after 18 years | St Ives police get Joanne Beaven's stolen wallet after 18 years |
(about 7 hours later) | |
A woman has got her stolen wallet back 18 years later after it was handed to police with her driving licence along with a prized picture of Eric Cantona, still inside. | A woman has got her stolen wallet back 18 years later after it was handed to police with her driving licence along with a prized picture of Eric Cantona, still inside. |
It disappeared when Joanne Beaven's handbag was pinched from a hotel in St Ives in Cambridgeshire. | It disappeared when Joanne Beaven's handbag was pinched from a hotel in St Ives in Cambridgeshire. |
A police officer said the wet and muddy item was posted through the station's letterbox on Sunday. | A police officer said the wet and muddy item was posted through the station's letterbox on Sunday. |
He traced her through the address on her then provisional driving licence. | He traced her through the address on her then provisional driving licence. |
Unsurprisingly, cash that had been inside was missing, but the dog-eared photo of retired footballer Cantona could still be seen. | Unsurprisingly, cash that had been inside was missing, but the dog-eared photo of retired footballer Cantona could still be seen. |
"Every girl should have a picture of Eric Cantona in her purse," said Ms Beaven, aged 21 at the time of the theft in 2000. | |
Although her bag was found in a ditch in a park a week later, there was no sign of the wallet, which contained bank cards in Ms Beaven's maiden name of Kimpton. | |
She had completely forgotten about it until PCSO Phil Davis, of Cambridgeshire Police, called to say it had been found. | She had completely forgotten about it until PCSO Phil Davis, of Cambridgeshire Police, called to say it had been found. |
"I went to the postbox at St Ives police station and there was a plastic bag with the wallet inside," said PCSO Davis. | "I went to the postbox at St Ives police station and there was a plastic bag with the wallet inside," said PCSO Davis. |
"The wallet was soaking wet with lots of mud in it but fortunately there was a driving licence in there with an address, so I went round to see if the owner was still there." | "The wallet was soaking wet with lots of mud in it but fortunately there was a driving licence in there with an address, so I went round to see if the owner was still there." |
You may also like: | You may also like: |
A note pinned to the bag said it had been found in a ditch in the same park where Ms Beaven's handbag was found 18 years earlier. | A note pinned to the bag said it had been found in a ditch in the same park where Ms Beaven's handbag was found 18 years earlier. |
"It was a bit of a shock for my mum when a policeman knocked on her door, particularly when he said he'd found my driving licence, "said Ms Beaven. | "It was a bit of a shock for my mum when a policeman knocked on her door, particularly when he said he'd found my driving licence, "said Ms Beaven. |
"I think she was more concerned that I was in a ditch somewhere." | "I think she was more concerned that I was in a ditch somewhere." |
The wallet is "pretty gross and it doesn't smell very pleasant - like damp dog," she said. | The wallet is "pretty gross and it doesn't smell very pleasant - like damp dog," she said. |
"I was quite surprised to get it back to be honest, but it's lovely that the police took the time to find me as obviously they've got a gazillion other things to do with their day." | "I was quite surprised to get it back to be honest, but it's lovely that the police took the time to find me as obviously they've got a gazillion other things to do with their day." |