Senior officers want to destroy the items seized as part of the investigation into Britain's worst serial killer because they fear they could end up in the wrong hands and become ghoulish "trophies".
The typewriter was used by Shipman to make a crude forgery of Kathleen Grundy's will - the clue that led detectives to discover his horrific murder spree.
The two bags carried the morphine used to kill his patients.
Shipman's family is now locked in a legal battle with Greater Manchester Police.
The wrangle began when Sarah Shipman, the killer doctor's daughter, demanded that GMP return the items. When the request was turned down, a complaint was lodged.
Dialogue
GMP refused to record and investigate the complaint and late last month the family took its case to the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
A ruling is expected later this month. The typewriter and bags technically belong to the Shipman family, but it is understood GMP do not want to return them and have been forced into dialogue with the killer's family.
A police spokesman said: "GMP has continued to try to conclude the Shipman investigation. As part of this work we want to destroy a typewriter and two medical bags seized by the police during the investigation into the crimes committed by Shipman.
"We are concerned about the distress these items could cause to the families and friends of Shipman's victims if they are not in fact destroyed.We have been in discussion with the Shipman family to invite them to support our proposal to destroy these items, which they are requesting to have returned."
Sarah Shipman declined to comment after being contacted through her Manchester-based lawyers yesterday. The IPCC will only rule whether the police were within their rights not to record the complaint. They cannot force GMP to hand over the items.
Shipman, 57, hanged himself in Wakefield jail in January 2004 after being sentenced to life.
Should the items be returned to Shipman's family? Have your say.
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The items were used in the commission of a criminal offence and should be destroyed. The family are the "Ghouls" - wanting them back !
Shipman is the evil one in all this, not the family. Why should they be forced to suffer for crimes THEY did not commit? Should they forfeight their rights because of the acts of someone else? The complaint should have been logged at the time it was made. However, the family should also understand and respect the wishes of the victims' families.
NO
Certainly not. His wife is lucky she hasn't had her pension taken off her. Had the Dept. known what he was doing he wouldn't have had a job, let alone a pension for his wife. Why doesn't your paper run a campaign to have her pension cancelled.
Definately not.
Possibly Angela because she has not been found guilty of any crime.
Firstly, whether the public like it or not, Primrose Shipman is entitled to her dead husband's pension. She killed no one. And as for these 'artefacts', well quite simply Dr. Shipmans personal effects belong to his family, NOT the police. I daresay that GMP wanted the items for the 'Black Museum'. It's the police here who are the ghouls.And I'd like to know why complaints were not recorded. GMP, once again proving sloppy with their administration.
If you stab someone - do the police give you the knife back after your conviction?
The portable typewriter and other items of evidence are germane to the case and shold remain in the custody of the authorities.
Who would like to see them being auctioned off on EBay just to make more money for the family - Not many I bet.
How do we know they'll get destroyed? They'll end up in some copper's attic I reckon, and then surface on eBay when the heat's died down.
Put them in the Police Black Museum or destroy them.....but do not give them back cos you just know they ll end up on E bay eventually !!
At the end of the day they belong to his family who are as innocent as the victims familys but i can see them ending up on e-bay i think they should be destroyed, his wife does deserve his pension she did nothing wrong and she has got to live for the rest of her life in fear of reprisals for what her wicked wicked husband did
At one time the shipmans would have taken on a new identity and hidden their past in shame as Oscar Wildes did and he never murdered anyone. This man is a mass murderer and his daughters actions are dispicable.
If my memory is correct did the typewriter not belong to one of Shipman's victims?
Was that not the one he typed the will on which eventually (hung him).
As for his pension that should be distributed to good causes.
Maybe Sarah Shipman is studying to be a doctor and needs the typewriter and bags.
There will be a waiting list to sign on at the surgery when she becomes a GP
The items belong to the family and the police must return them unless the case is still open..which I very much doubt..but by the police reaction to the daughters enquiry it does make you wonder if these items have not already been disposed of or as someone has already suggested in the attic of some policeman.
Regardless of the crimes of this nauseating pile of humanity, these items belong to the family. For the police to permanently deprive them of these items is theft. They should be returned. As for ending up on e-bay, you are the warped bu**ers who bid on this auction site. The answer is in your hands.
No! Why the hell would his family want them back? If a relative of mine had been found guilty of the sick crimes he did then I'd want to be rid of any evidence of his existance.
Through it all on a big fire!
The items in question are evidence of an offence and as such should remain with the authorities however if the cowardly owner would like to attend at a Police Station and request his property back then thats another story. If the family want this property so bad does this mean that they admitpart of the guilt? Sorry the Cowardly owner hanged himself so as far as I see it the property stays with the Police!!!!
The Shipman family have consistently shown themselves to be avaricious & totally insensitive to the feelings of the bereaved families of Shipman's victims.
Nothing they might do would surprise me.
Why Dr Harold Shipman's tools of death should not be in the public hands.
Those who use tools of whatever ilk to kill a person are potential evidence of future crimes that may be disclosed. As such it matters not of what object they are as Ian Brady precedent has shown in the 'Tartan album 'in our possession'. It is about control.
The artifacts in time with scientific empirical evidence are open to such procedures. That truth is feared.
Certainly not ,these items were used in the commission of a crime therefore are no longer the innocent items the Shipman family would have us believe .Put them in the Police Museum.
I guess the family are entitled to his property but the fact that his daughter 'demanded' rather than 'requested' speaks volumes about their attitude. It does seem to have been proved beyond all reasonable doubt that Shipman killed a number of people and. although that isn't their responsibility, a little less arrogance would be seemly.