MoD reveals list of more than 150 stolen items – from decommissioned machine gun to a tumble dryer

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A decommissioned machine gun, night-vision scopes and lightbulb are amongst more than 150 items which were stolen from the Ministry of Defence previously 12 months, it has been revealed.

Other items listed as stolen included TVs, Xbox controllers, assault ladders, items of uniform, a reproduction scale-model siege gun, a rifle, two laptops, an iPad, medals and an MoD id card.

The particulars have been printed by Dr Andrew Murrison, the under-secretary of state on the MoD, in response to a parliamentary written query submitted by Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney, who described the findings as “astonishing”.

There have been additionally some more weird items taken, together with a number of bicycles, health club tools, a tumble dryer and “silver pheasant ornaments”.

The quantity of suspected thefts between December 2022 and December 2023 totalled 213. At least 153 items of service tools have been reported stolen, in addition to 34 different defence belongings. There have been additionally 10 reported thefts of IT tools, eight of money, six of gasoline and two of metallic.

Mr Murrison, who declined to reveal the complete list of lacking items “so as not to compromise live ongoing investigations”, mentioned the MoD was “not immune” to theft. The MoD mentioned that some of the items could also be recovered or later recorded as misplaced as a substitute.

“The MoD works hard to detect and deter theft and there are robust processes in place to raise awareness of the need for vigilance in all aspects of security,” Mr Murrison mentioned.

“Just as theft occurs in wider society, the MoD is not immune, and we actively encourage individuals to report any evidence of loss or suspicion of theft. It is important to note that in some cases of reported theft the property is later recovered.”

Nonetheless, Ms Olney mentioned the federal government had a responsibility to maintain the general public secure and steered the stolen tools, which included a handful of firearms, could possibly be used to put the lives of the British public in peril.

She additionally known as for the minister to launch an inquiry into what went improper and the potential dangers posed by the thefts.

“The government has a duty to keep people safe, yet this revelation from the MoD should be ringing alarm bells for our national and personal security,” she mentioned.

In earlier years, the MoD has revealed that items have been stolen from a number of RAF bases within the UK, in addition to an Army Foundation College. Outposts overseas, together with within the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar, have additionally been affected.

An MoD spokesperson mentioned: “We take the security of defence assets extremely seriously and have robust policies and procedures to prevent losses and thefts. If any assets are reported lost or missing due to suspected criminal activity, we take the necessary steps to investigate, prosecute and recover the items.”