Former Derbyshire detective jailed for stealing £87,000 from police safe
Michelle Kirsty Reason, 54, stole over £87,000 from a Derbyshire Police safe over three years and has been jailed for four years and two months.
Ex-detective stole seized drug money from Derbyshire Police safe over three years
A former detective constable has been sentenced to four years and two months in prison after stealing more than £87,000 from her own police force, bbc.co.uk reports.
Michelle Kirsty Reason, 54, of Church Lane in Buxton, worked as an exhibits officer based in Ripley, where she was one of only a small number of staff with access to a secure safe holding hundreds of thousands of pounds in cash seized from criminals.
Reason began taking money in January 2022, shortly after handling a large cash seizure of approximately £350,000, Derbyshire Police said. She initially took £15,000 and, having gone undetected, continued to siphon funds on a regular basis until she left the force in December 2025.
The stolen money — which had been confiscated from drug gangs investigated by her own team — was spent on a car, a holiday, and event tickets, according to the force.
The theft came to light when officers reviewed stored exhibits ahead of an upcoming court case and began questioning the whereabouts of the cash. Aware she had been found out, Reason attended St Mary's Wharf police station to confess. She provided a full account of the sums taken and brought the empty evidence bags with her.
On Monday, Reason pleaded guilty to theft and misconduct in public office at Mansfield Magistrates' and County Court. She admitted stealing £87,174.05, along with €1,620 and £114 in Albanian lek.
Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Michelle Shooter said: "Michelle Reason was placed in a position of trust as a detective constable. She broke the trust that we as a force put in her, and broke the trust that the public puts in officers to conduct themselves in a right and proper way."
Shooter added: "Her actions are a disgrace. Individuals who are willing to act in such a way have no place in policing and we will do all we can to root them out and bring them to justice."
A further hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act has been listed for 9 April.
Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)