You’re nicked mate – £56,000 of gear stolen from Scotland’s biggest force

Scotland’s largest police force has seen almost £56,000 of equipment stolen in five years, new figures reveal.

Between 2006 and the end of 2010, kit worth around £55,973 had been stolen including Strathclyde Police jackets, hats and radios.

The figures were released following freedom of information requests sent to all eight police forces in Scotland.

During 2009 three police vehicles, handcuffs, high visibility jackets, a baton and police epaulet and sergeant stripes were stolen.

Other items taken that year included a welcome mat, carpet with Strathclyde Police logo and an “Alcosensor breath specimen device”.

The highest value of equipment stolen in one year was in 2009 when kit worth around £21,496 was snatched.

Police-issue body armour and a utility belt were among £3,892.93 of kit stolen in 2010.

Strathclyde Police said: “Since 2009 the Firearms Unit has not lost any firearms or tasers, nor have any weapons been stolen. In relation to the Firearms Unit no batons, shields or radios have been lost since 2009.

“With regards to ammunition, one round of ammunition is unaccounted for since 2009.

“The round of ammunition is not being treated as stolen. However, the possibility exists that it was not lost either, and the round was actually missing from the boxes of bullets received from the manufacturer in the first place.”

The force said it could not provide details on other equipment lost since January 2009 as retrieving the information exceeded cost limits under freedom of information legislation.

Other forces revealed they had lost thousands of pounds of kit in the last two years.

Lothian and Borders Police said kit worth £5,236.64 had been lost between January 2009 and 8 August, 2011, including three warrant cards, nine radios, a torch, and 11 PDA notebooks, along with memory cards. “Please note there have been no stolen property reports concerning bullets/ammunition or firearms,” the force said.

Fife Constabulary said since 1 January, 2009, 15 batons, valued at a total of £162.49, and three of the Airwave radios officers use were reported lost.

The force said: “The total cost to replace a radio is £350. This includes the purchase of the radio, any additional ancillaries, which were required, and the manpower cost to have the radio re-programmed and added to the network.”

Tayside Police said two batons and eight radios had been lost during the period, but no police firearms or ammunition had been lost or stolen. The force said it would not provide an answer for whether there had been any police ammunition lost since January 2009 as it was deemed “exempt from disclosure”.

Central Scotland Police said: “Central Scotland Police have not lost any bullets or guns nor have any such items been stolen during the specified period. In March 2009 one Airwave radio was reported lost.”

Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, Grampian Police and Northern Constabulary have had no kit stolen or lost during the period.