Thieves take £700,000 in MoD kit raids

Night vision goggles worth £45,000 are among the Ministry of Defence equipment stolen from Westcountry military bases and warships in less than a year.

The haul, taken since last May, also included metal containers worth £7,500 from Devonport Naval Base.

A projector valued at £2,400 has gone from the Westcountry-based amphibious landing ship HMS Bulwark as well as immersion suits worth £2,196 from HMS Raleigh, Torpoint.

Some £600 in cash from mess takings were among the other items swiped.

Elsewhere, £885 worth of computer game equipment was swiped at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset and a £200 lawn mower was lost from the Royal Marines base in Poole, Dorset.

The most expensive items stolen in the region were the night vision goggles from the Devonport-based helicopter carrier HMS Ocean last June.

Across the MoD nationally, Defence Minister Peter Luff has revealed thieves took nearly £700,000 worth of cash and equipment over a 10-month period.

This included a plane fuselage, pistols, body armour, telescopic sights, Army issue ration packs, a clarinet, medals, televisions, and a flag.

Two batches of night sights, together worth £88,000, were stolen, while the single most expensive item taken was a helicopter rotor tuner worth £50,000, stolen last November.

The figures, which only cover items reported stolen in the UK were uncovered by Labour MP Luciana Berger.

She tabled a written Parliamentary question asking for a breakdown of items worth £100 stolen from the MoD since the Government took office.

Ms Berger said: “It’s astonishing that on this Government’s watch everything from helicopter rotor tuners, telescopic lenses, military computer systems, and even an aircraft fuselage can be pilfered from the MoD.

“This is nothing short of a national disgrace.”

Ms Berger called on ministers to “consider their positions”, adding: “People will be furious thieves can walk away with body armour, pistols, uniforms, helmets and night-vision goggles intended for our men and women serving in combat zones.”

She pointed out the figures also included compensation aimed at war widows, adding: “It’s heartbreaking compensation for the families of those killed in action has been stolen.”

Mr Luff said: “The MoD Police (MDP) has actively promoted a number of crime reduction initiatives throughout the MoD.”