Crooks tried to sell notes stolen from police car
SENSITIVE police documents concerning gang intelligence stolen from a car were put up for sale for thousands of pounds.
The intelligence papers were snatched from the vehicle of an offduty officer in Walsall last month.
The documents, believed to include a notebook, contained confidential intelligence concerning organised crime groups and gang members.
The details are understood to have included names, dates of birth and even the home addresses of individuals linked to gangs in the West Midlands.
Police admitted last month they had been stolen from an undisclosed area of Walsall. Four men were later arrested.
This week it was revealed that the intelligence papers were later put up for sale by criminals for ‘tens of thousands of pounds’.
The move could have sparked clear security concerns about those named in the documents.
A number of community sources have told the Birmingham Post about the sale. One said: “Those who had gotten hold of the information must have believed they were worth a lot of money.”
It is unclear if the papers were eventually sold. West Midlands Police has refused to comment on the development but has confirmed the stolen material has not been recovered.
The force confirmed four men
originally arrested have now been released while investigations continue.
West Midlands Police’s Professional Standards department has launched an inquiry into the theft of such sensitive material. The Information Commissioner’s Office has also been alerted because of the data involved.
Chief Supt Ian Green, head of the force’s intelligence team, previously released a lengthy statement about the theft.
He said: “On September 1 items containing police intelligence were stolen from a vehicle belonging to an off-duty officer in Walsall. We immediately launched an investigation to determine any threat and risk posed to members of our community.
“A debrief was carried out with the officer involved so we could quickly determine what information was contained in the items stolen.
“The information contained details of people assessed as being involved in, or vulnerable to, gang-related activities.
“Once this review was carried out, we undertook a comprehensive intelligence assessment to understand if any of this information would pose a risk to any individuals. “We are visiting and sending formal letters to the people concerned, notifying them of the theft and offering support.
“We continue to monitor any potential risks within our communities and put the appropriate safeguarding in place.
“We do not believe the loss of this information has directly put anyone at risk and we’ve been in contact with those who’ve had any concerns.
“The data loss is being investigated by our professional standards department and we referred it to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO investigation is ongoing and we will welcome the findings of the ICO report once completed and will take any recommendations on board.
“We manage highly sensitive information every day, which is vital in our fight against crime.”
The information contained details of people assessed as being involved in, or vulnerable to, gang-related activities. Chief Supt Ian Green