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Police probe laptop thefts from Parliamentary buildings | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The Metropolitan Police are investigating a spate of laptop thefts from Parliamentary buildings. | |
The news came as Labour MP Keith Vaz revealed he was the latest victim, when a laptop and iPad were stolen from his Westminster office on Thursday. | |
Mr Vaz called for a "more robust approach" to security inside parliamentary buildings. | |
Among the other items reported stolen in recent years are an orchid, a £1,000 candlestick and 10 chairs. | |
Official documents show the chairs, reportedly taken from Portcullis House - where many MPs have their offices - in 2008, were recovered. | |
As well as laptops, the list of items taken also includes mobile phones, a camera, cash, knives and a bicycle. | |
CCTV cameras | |
Mr Vaz's office is within the Norman Shaw North building on Victoria Embankment, close to the Palace of Westminster. | Mr Vaz's office is within the Norman Shaw North building on Victoria Embankment, close to the Palace of Westminster. |
The MP for Leicester East told BBC Radio 5 live the equipment taken contained information relating "to the work I do as the chairman of the home affairs committee, which includes policing issues". | |
"I gather that whoever did this also took a laptop from another member of Parliament on the same floor, and since reporting it to the police I am informed this happens quite regularly on the Parliamentary estate." | |
Mr Vaz said his office building was "supposed to be secure" and the thief "must" have full security clearance to move around. | |
"If this happened to a constituent, I would call a residents' meeting - which I am happy to do - and get more CCTV cameras in the corridors. | |
"Oddly enough, I could only find one, in the car park... pretty astonishing for an iconic building like Parliament." | |
Mr Vaz said he was particularly concerned about the thefts given the visit by US President Barack Obama to Parliament next week. | |
"A great deal of effort is taken to protect the outside of building but we need a more robust approach to security inside the building," he said. | |
"We need to ensure the security of the building is not compromised." | "We need to ensure the security of the building is not compromised." |
A spokesman for Parliament said police were investigating "a number of reports of the theft of laptops across the Parliamentary estate". | |
According to details released in response to a Freedom of Information request, harassment, criminal damage, common assault and trespass have all been reported on the estate between 2008 and 2010. |
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