Armed Police Leave Bag of Guns Outside London Mayor Sadiq Khan's Home
Armed police officers assigned to protect London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan left a bag containing firearms and a Taser outside his residence, where it was discovered by a member of the public. The incident has sparked an urgent internal review by the Metropolitan Police.
Public Discovery of Firearms Bag
Scaffolder Jordan Griffiths reported to The Sun newspaper that his girlfriend found the bag sitting by the kerbside on a road in south London on Tuesday evening. Inside the bag were an MP5 semi-automatic Heckler & Koch carbine, a Glock pistol, a Taser, and ammunition.
Mr Griffiths expressed his shock at the discovery, stating, "I could not believe my eyes and took some pictures as proof of what we had found." He immediately called the police, who arrived within minutes to collect the firearms. Officers were reportedly "really shocked" upon arrival and hurriedly removed the items.
Police Response and Investigation
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the bag contained Met-issued firearms and a Taser, which were safely recovered within seven minutes of the public's call at around 9:40 p.m. In a statement, the force acknowledged the seriousness of the incident, saying, "We are urgently reviewing the circumstances of this incident and recognise the concern it may cause."
It is believed the bag was misplaced by on-duty officers shortly before being found. The Met's Directorate of Professional Standards has launched an internal review, and five officers have been removed from frontline duties pending the outcome.
Reactions from Officials
A spokesperson for Mayor Sadiq Khan described the incident as "very serious" and confirmed it has been referred to the Directorate of Professional Standards. The spokesperson emphasized, "The Met must now take all steps to ensure an incident like this never occurs again."
This security breach raises significant questions about the protocols for handling firearms by protection officers, especially in high-profile cases involving public figures like the Mayor of London.
