The UK Ministry of Defence is facing a crisis after it emerged that more than 100 pieces of equipment, including machine guns and pistols, had been lost or stolen.
Were the weapons lost? Or stolen?
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is facing increasing pressure after it emerged that machine guns, pistols and a decommissioned World War I machine gun had been lost or stolen in the past two years.
The shocking revelations, coupled with hundreds of computers, laptops, phones and USB flash drives that have been lost or stolen, have prompted the Liberal Democrats to call for an urgent inquiry into the department’s security practices.
Data obtained through parliamentary questions tabled by Lib Dem MP Sarah Maguire has revealed a worrying trend.
In 2024 alone, 447 pieces of equipment were lost or stolen by the MoD.
This is an increase of more than 50% on the 297 lost in 2023.
The shocking figure includes 25 computers, 125 USB flash drives and 159 phones.
Full investigation
While the MoD insists it takes the security of its equipment “extremely seriously” and maintains “robust policies and procedures”, the scale of the missing items raises serious concerns.
The loss of firearms in particular highlights potential vulnerabilities within the department’s security framework.
The Liberal Democrats have also argued that a serious and independent investigation should be carried out to identify the root causes and implement the necessary corrective measures.
In response, the MoD said all firearm losses and thefts are “fully investigated”.
0 Comments