In an unexpected incident, thieves made off with the handbag of UK Minister of State for Policing, Fire, and Crime Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, during a conference focused on addressing theft and shoplifting.
The theft occurred on Tuesday at a four-star hotel near Kenilworth in the Midlands, where Dame Johnson had just delivered a speech highlighting the growing issue of antisocial behaviour, theft, and shoplifting. Her remarks were part of the Police Superintendents’ Association (PSA) conference, where she expressed concerns over crime levels inherited by the Labour government from the Conservatives.
Ironically, shortly after discussing these concerns, Dame Johnson became a victim of the very crime she had addressed.
The Home Office has confirmed the incident, and Warwickshire Police have launched an investigation. A 56-year-old man from Coventry has been arrested on suspicion of burglary and released on bail in connection with the theft.
The spokesperson from Warwickshire Police stated, “We’re investigating a report of the theft of a purse at a hotel on the B4115 in Kenilworth. The theft occurred sometime between 11.00-13.15 on Tuesday.
“Enquiries are ongoing. A 56-year-old man from Coventry has been arrested on suspicion of burglary and has since been released on bail while enquiries continue.”
The Home Office has stated that no security risks were identified in connection with the theft.
The theft occurred on the same day the UK government began releasing some prisoners early to alleviate overcrowding in England and Wales’ jails. This overcrowding has been worsened by the August riots that gripped parts of the country.
In a post on social media, Johnson acknowledged the conference and thanked police officers for their hard work during the summer riots, but she made no mention of the theft incident.
With incidents like this theft at a high-profile event, the spotlight is now on the Labour government’s ability to tackle crime in the UK, especially after a recent report revealed that theft incidents remain stubbornly high, with an estimated 2.7 million cases in the year ending September 2023.
The UK government, under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, is under pressure to deliver on promises made ahead of the general election when he pledged to hire 3,000 new officers and 4,000 police community support officers to address the growing crime wave.
While the numbers are down from pre-pandemic levels, they remain a significant concern.
In a related development, the Ogun State Police Command has apprehended two men and recovered several items worth over N800,000 from them.
It was gathered on Thursday that the items were stolen from a church; St. Michael Archangel Catholic Church, Igode located in the Sagamu area of the state.
The incident occurred in the early hours of that same day and reported to the police by one Onojwu Aaron and some members of the church.
The stolen items are a generator valued at N400,000, one big OX fan valued at N60,000, a music amplifier valued at N180,000 and other musical instruments valued at about N200,000, all totalling N840,000.
The state police command spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, said upon receiving the report, the police sprung into action immediately and began an investigation. They visited the scene and monitored the place together with the vigilante group in the area.
Along the line, she said two men were arrested in connection with the incident.
Upon further investigations, their identities were revealed as 21-year-old Destine John and 23-year-old John Peter, who were said to be indigenes of Benue State living in the Odongunyan area of Lagos.
The PPRO said they were arrested at Fakale inside a Keke Marwa (tricycle) where they were hiding the amplifier.
One of the suspects denied the allegations and claimed he bought the amplifier from one pastor but could not prove his claims.
The other man in his statement claimed his partner asked him to wait inside the tricycle at Fakale and later came back with the amplifier after informing him that a pastor sold it to him.
Odutola noted that statements provided by all parties concerned had been documented and further investigations were ongoing.
“Statements have been obtained from all concerned parties; investigation is in progress. Further developments shall be communicated,” Odutola said.
