UK NEWS

THIEVES NET A £50,000 HAUL FROM THE POLICE

THEFT: Vital police equipment has been stolen

Tuesday May 27,2008

By Chris Riches

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POLICE admitted yesterday that thieves have plundered £50,000 of equipment – including a roadside speed camera.

In a report, the Lancashire force owned up to a stack of thefts from vehicles and stations.

Other items lost in the past five years include bicycles, handcuffs, batons, uniforms, riot helmets and even body armour.

Yesterday, the TaxPayers’ Alliance said it was disgraceful that vital equipment was not being guarded.

Chief executive Matthew Elliott said: “It is appalling that so much equipment is being stolen from the police. Every penny lost is urgently needed in the fight against crime.

“More fundamentally, this suggests that the police’s management are not even following the advice they give.”

The stolen items, which read like a crooks’ wish-list, total £47,894.49. The property either belonged to the force or was being held by it. The £24,000 speed camera disappeared in 2003.

A dozen satellite navigation devices were stolen, a £420 camera phone was taken from a police station, a £100 high visibility jacket went from a police van and £669 of recording equipment vanished.

Director of resources David Brindle said: “Policing can often result in property becoming vulnerable. The loss also needs to be set in the context that the constabulary’s annual budget is more than £250million.”

Ribble Valley Tory MP Nigel Evans said: “They are not following their own advice. It’s hugely embarrassing.”

The Daily Express has revealed how Greater Manchester Police had 89 items stolen last year. In three years West Midlands Police lost £130,000 of items including a Range Rover.

AND HOW LONG DID IT TAKE . . .

27.05.08, 10:11pm

for the police to respond . . .

to take a report . . .

from the police???

• Posted by: Promontory • Report Comment

THIEVES NET A £50,000 HAUL FROM THE POLICE

27.05.08, 6:39pm

I know that the emphasis on Police Training as outlined by the last Pm was to ensure that they could all either read or write.

Perhaps a new Initiative could be to teach some of them Investigative Skills and others Security Skills.

I suppose we will have to simply wait to hear what the Home Sec has to say on the matter (if at all).

• Posted by: EmperorMing • Report Comment

THIEVES NET A £50,000 HAUL FROM THE POLICE

27.05.08, 5:25pm

Makes sense. It is only the Police and MP's in the UK that have any money.

• Posted by: ReubenMohawali • Report Comment

I KNOW THIS IS NO LAUGHING MATTER, BUT

27.05.08, 5:13pm

there is a degree black hilarity in this story.

This just about sums everything about this country up in a nutshell.

Thieves stealing from the police...... only in the UK!

• Posted by: Veltro205 • Report Comment