Family of elderly woman who was robbed on her deathbed face red tape nightmare to see crime investigated

Her disgusted family discovered the crime after the 82-year-old great-grandmother passed away and they spotted purchases worth hundreds of pounds on her bank statement.

But when they tried to report the incident, they found themselves in an administrative nightmare which threatened to let the thief escape unpunished.

Robbed: Rose Donnelly (pictured with great grandchildren Ciara and Calum Flinter) had her bank details stolen as she lay on her deathbed

The bank said it was not its responsibility to investigate the allegations, the police said they would not look into the matter unless it was reported by the victim - the bank - and the hospital refused to help unless officers requested assistance.

Mrs Donnelly's daughter, Louise Garden, 30, said: 'When we went to Gran's house we found letters from various firms containing receipts for stuff she was supposed to have bought while she was in hospital.

'The purchases included basketball boots, jeans and items from an Ann Summers shop - all unlikely to have been bought by en elderly lady.

'Gran was always concerned about her pin number and people getting into her bank account. She was very careful about it and never bought anything on the internet.

'That someone could do something like this is disgusting and we thought someone would take action.'

Great-grandmother Mrs Donnelly, whose husband John died last year aged 87, was admitted to a private room Hemel Hempstead Hospital in Hertfordshire on May 22 after suffering a mild heart attack.

She brought her debit card and other valuables with her after paramedics warned someone who spotted their ambulance outside her house might burgle it in her absence.

Her family took the valuables away for safekeeping four days later but someone had already managed to copy her debit card details.

During the last week of May, 16 purchases were made on the internet totalling £560.

Mrs Donnelly passed away on June 2 and it was while her grieving relatives were visiting her home in London Colney that they discovered the fraud.

Barclays have now refunded the money but when Miss Garden contacted Hertfordshire police she said she was told it was up to the bank to recover their losses.

'No one seems interested,' she said.

'The hospital said they couldn't do anything unless the police took action and the police say it's down to the bank.

'What concerns us is that this person, who may well work at the hospital, may be preying on other vulnerable people.'

A change in the law last year meant victims of debit and credit card fraud would in future have to contact their banks rather than police.

Under the 2006 Fraud Act, banks would collate fraud figures and pass these to police, together with any evidence they uncover of major criminal gangs.

Critics warned the move appeared to be an attempt by the Government, police and banks to manipulate card fraud figures and mislead the public about the severity of the issue.

Debit and credit card fraud cost the nation £428 million in 2006, including £117 million from internet purchases.

A Hertfordshire police spokesman said: 'As far as we are concerned, no crime has been committed unless and until the bank inform us of the loss.

'We have urged the family to encourage the bank to contact us. Until then, our hands are tied.'

West Herts Hospital Trust said they had been notified of an allegation possibly involving a member of staff.

A spokesman said they would take appropriate action 'when all the information was available'.

Barclays Bank initially said: 'It is beyond our remit to carry out an investigation into the identity of the thief.

'Incidents are reported centrally. What we can't do is contact Hertfordshire police to say there's been a fraud.'

However, a spokesman later added its police liaison officer was passing 'all necessary details' to the force.