Irish Examiner
Handcuffs, uniforms, speed guns, dogs and even patrol cars have been stolen from police stations in Britain in the last five years.
The haul includes dozens of warrant cards, several bikes, riot shields, a red “door whammer” — a battering ram used for breaking into houses — and breathalysers.
Some of the more bizarre items stolen include a packet of six Sunblest crumpets worth 50p from Priory Road police station in Hull, a fern and green plastic pot taken from Lancashire Police, a small fridge from Dunstable police station and a copy of some CCTV footage and a TV from West Oxfordshire.
A £20 mannequin was stolen from Essex Police’s kennels at Epping, a thief helped themselves to the £48 tea float from Pontef-ract station in West Yorkshire and in West Mercia a 20-pack of toilet rolls vanished.
The catalogue of theft from police stations across Britain was revealed in a Freedom of Information request by the Press Association. Equipment and personal belongings worth hundreds of thousands of pounds have been stolen.
The force with the highest value of goods stolen is Greater Manchester Police with £86,910. Other forces with high-value losses include Strathclyde (£22,524), Northumbria (£19,858), Essex (£15,406) and Surrey (£9,657).
The request also reveals that many of the incidents were opportunist, with thieves taking advantage of property, such as police equipment, mobile phones or computers being left unattended.
Lynne Potts of Greater Manchester Police, said: “All reports of loss or theft of property from police stations or vehicles are fully investigated.
“Greater Manchester Police takes all such reports seriously and we make appropriate inquiries for the return of items, and where offenders are identified we ensure they are brought to justice.
“Measures are in place for the security of property, equipment and vehicles across all of our police stations.”
Copyright 2012 Thomas Crosbie Media Ltd.