Son abusing elderly father financially

[buffymad]

Father and son relationship has broken down bit by bit culminating in things getting so much worse when mother died. Son has removed jewellery and clothing and refused to say where they are. Police have been involved but don’t really seem to want to get involved as there’s a minor (teenager) living in same house. Son refuses to leave house and council won’t get involved.
Just found out he’s committed fraud. They had a loan
for the funeral from the DWP. Because of money already paid for funeral there was a refund due. Son wrote letter to funeral directors, supposedly from father, saying give remaining money to him. And then he forged his signature. Funeral directors had no reason to believe this wasn’t genuine and gave him the money.
What should be his first course of action?
No one seems to want to help and son is getting away with everything!

[2222]

A few more details, please.

How has this come to your attention, may I ask? Who called the police? Is the father seriously impaired in some way?

The problem with interfering is: Does the father really want a big fuss made? He's just lost his wife, so maybe he'd prefer to have his son steal from him than have a bust-up? In other words, maybe he'd prefer to be abused in this way by his son than be left on his own? Or maybe he just wants to protect his son.

It's pretty awful, but in answer to the question of how you can help, the answer is with great care, tact, and diplomacy.

[buffymad]

Father wanted police involved when some jewellery first went missing. This was recovered. More has gone since then. Son has taken money from a drawer in his deceased’s mam’s cabinet (over £1,000), viewed by father. Refused to give it back to him. Father wants son out of house but seems to get nowhere. He’s recovering from throat cancer so yes he’s vulnerable and cannot speak “normally” as his voice box was taken out. One of the instances of physical abuse was on the day his wife died. Nice.
His father is driving everything as he’s had enough. The latest thing to come to his attention is just another na in the coffin - made worse by he needs to repay the loan but obviously his son has taken some of that money! He doesn’t have much money himself, not helped by son not paying rent for over a year but still eating him out of house and home.

[2222]

My son and his gf came for a month in March. They're still here. Not as bad as Julian Assange yet!

Just remember that blood is thicker than water.