A government official confirmed on Thursday that Britain’s Police and Crime Minister, Diana Johnson, had her bag stolen during a conference for senior and mid-ranking police officers.
Johnson’s bag was stolen while she addressed the growing problem of theft and shoplifting on Tuesday at the Police Superintendents’ Association conference in central England.
Despite the theft, no security risk was identified, according to the official. Senior officers told Johnson that the criminal justice system was broken.
Johnson remarked during her speech, that Britain was “gripped by an epidemic of anti-social behaviour, theft, and shoplifting.” The Home Office declined to comment on the incident.
However, Warwickshire Police reported that a 56-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of burglary and later released on bail in connection with the theft.
Theft and shoplifting have surged in recent years, despite an overall decrease in crime. According to the Office for National Statistics, thefts of personal items such as bags and mobile phones increased by 40% in the year ending March.
This rise has contributed to declining public confidence in law enforcement. A YouGov poll earlier this year revealed that over half of the public do not trust the police to solve crimes, with more than a third expressing no faith in the police to maintain law and order.
In her address, Johnson outlined plans to provide more police officers with training to combat anti-social behaviour after a “decade of decline.” She stated, “Too many town centres and high streets across the country have been gripped by an epidemic of anti-social behaviour, theft, and shoplifting, which is corroding our communities and cannot be allowed to continue.”