Five Met officers taken off duty after weapons find

Five Met officers taken off duty after weapons find

Five officers from the Metropolitan Police were taken off active service following the discovery of a bag holding weapons, including a Taser, on a London street. The Sun reports that the bag was found outside the residence of London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan. Police stated the items were likely misplaced by officers on duty shortly before a passerby uncovered them.

Public discovery and police response

A member of the public reported the bag to authorities around 9:40 PM, having found it on a street in south London. Officers arrived within seven minutes and retrieved the items without incident. The force emphasized its ongoing review of the event, acknowledging the public’s concern.

“Within seven minutes of the call to police, officers arrived at the scene and safely recovered the items,” the Met said.

Passerby’s account

Speaking to the Sun, a passerby described spotting the bag on the roadside and alerting his partner upon noticing its contents. Jordan Griffiths shared that after inspecting the bag, he photographed its contents and contacted the police. “They were really shocked when they arrived. They examined the bag thoroughly and quickly took the weapons away,” he recounted.

“I was told they had been left there by one of Sadiq Khan’s security officers, which made sense as he lives here,” Griffiths added.

Mayor’s reaction

A spokesperson for Sir Sadiq Khan called the incident serious, stating: “The Met must now take all steps to ensure an incident like this never occurs again.” This follows his 2017 decision to accept 24-hour police protection after reassessing the security risks to his surroundings.

The bag contained a sub-machine gun, a pistol, a Taser, and ammunition, according to media reports. The Metropolitan Police’s Directorate of Professional Standards is conducting an investigation into the matter.