Latest news with #LondonMetropolitanPolice
Belfast Telegraph
14-07-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Watch: Dramatic arrests as police pounce on £1 million burglary gang
Jerry O'Donnell, Barney Maloney and Quey Adger were forced to stop their car by armed officers while Patrick Ward was arrested at his home. Dramatic footage of the arrests was released by the London Metropolitan Police in which an officer is seen pointing a taser at one of the men. The driver of the car attempted to get away colliding with a parked car after a police vehicle blocked him in. The four gang members who had targeted London's South Asian community, were jailed last week for a total of 17 years and one month after pleading guilty to burglary.
Sunday World
14-07-2025
- Sunday World
Dramatic arrests as police pounce on £1 million burglary gang
Jerry O'Donnell, Barney Maloney and Quey Adger were forced to stop their car by armed officers while Patrick Ward was arrested at his home Members of a burglary gang which stole £1 million were caught red-handed with stolen jewellery after a year-long police operation Jerry O'Donnell, Barney Maloney and Quey Adger were forced to stop their car by armed officers while Patrick Ward was arrested at his home. Dramatic footage of the arrests was released by the London Metropolitan Police in which an officer is seen pointing a taser at one of the men. The driver of the car attempted to get away colliding with a parked car after a police vehicle blocked him in. The four gang members who had targeted London's South Asian community, were jailed last week for a total of 17 years and one month after pleading guilty to burglary. CCTV enquiries identified their car as being involved in multiple burglaries, according to a police statement. 'Specialist officers acted quickly and pursued the vehicle while on the move, leading to a forced stop.' 'The trio were arrested after officers found hundreds of items inside, including a gold wedding ring, gold necklaces and a solid gold hair pin.' Ward was arrested separately at his home address shortly after. He had been identified him as a member of the organised crime gang with close links to the three other men. Detective Sergeant Lee Davison, who led the investigation, said: 'This comprehensive operation enabled us to disrupt a key part of an organised crime network.' 'As a result of the work conducted by specialist officers, a handful of serial criminals will now spend a substantial amount of time behind bars. 'While the monetary value of this crime is staggering, its sentimental worth is priceless. I hope these men spend a lot of time reflecting on the impact their actions have had on the community.' O'Donnell (33) was jailed for five years and three months, Maloney (19) got five years and three months, Adger (23) five years and seven months and Ward (43) two years and five months at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday, 11 July Officers also carried out a search at a jewellery shop in Hatton Garden where they believed stolen gold was being melted down and sold. There they recovered st£50,000 in cash and eight kilos of jewellery. The jewellery included a World War One officer's Rolex, a gold locket containing old pictures, an engraved gold ring, and a gold pocket watch from Harlow Bros Ltd. While the most identifiable items were reunited with their rightful owners following a media appeal in March, detectives are still looking to identify the owners of the remaining jewellery and urge anyone who may have been a victim to contact police. The items were stolen between December 2023 and July 2024 from properties across south London, including Croydon, Sutton and Wandsworth - as well as counties including Surrey, Sussex and Essex. News in 90 Seconds - Monday July 14th
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
London police chief calls for 'mega' forces to cut costs
London Metropolitan Police commissioner Mark Rowley (Image:@metpoliceuk) The commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police Mark Rowley on Sunday called for major reforms to the United Kingdom's policing model, saying it "hasn't been fit for purpose for at least two decades. " The call comes amid falling public confidence in law enforcement in Britain and as police forces struggle to overcome years of austerity. What did Mark Rowley say? Writing in The Sunday Times, Rowley called for the 43 police forces in England and Wales to be shrunk into 12-15 regional forces. The Met chief said some of the forces were "too small to operate," while governance, leadership and support functions had become "ever more expensive." Rowley complained that investment in new technologies to aid law enforcement had been "politically deprioritized" in favour of maintaining a high number of police officers, which he said made it harder to keep up with modern criminals. "It [That policy] hinders the effective confrontation of today's threats and stops us fully reaping the benefits of technology," Rowley added. The Met chief said larger regional forces would make better use of limited funding, required due to the state of Britain's public finances. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gold Is Surging in 2025 — Smart Traders Are Already In IC Markets Learn More Undo Rowley also called for the creation of a national policing body and better use of police staff, including more specialist support. Unlike Germany and France, the UK doesn't have a national police agency, although the national crime agency (NCA), which has responsibility for tackling serious and organized crime, does operate UK-wide. England and Wales have 43 police forces, including London's metropolitan police and greater manchester police, while Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own national police forces. UK police forces underfunded and understaffed The UK's police forces remained weakened by a decade of austerity following the 2008/9 financial crisis. Police funding was cut by almost a fifth nationally and police officer numbers were cut by 20,000. Although this number has since been restored, several police forces remain financially strained due to years of underinvestment. The national police chief's council warned last year that police forces were facing a £3.2 billion (€3.7 billion, $4.4 billion) funding shortfall at a time of rising operational costs. Despite the UK government promising to hike police funding by 2.3 percent above inflation each year in a recent spending review, police insiders believe the extra cash will plug gaps rather than fund new initiatives. Organized crime, knife crime a major issue The police funding crisis comes as the UK faces an increased threat from organized crime, including drug and human trafficking, immigration offenses and cyberattacks. Outdated police intelligence infrastructure means that UK police forces often struggle with the scale and sophistication of these crime networks, according to police leaders and government reports. Other worsening public safety issues are: knife crime, particularly among young people, often fueled by drug dealing, as well as the exploitation of children and other vulnerable individuals by drug gangs to sell narcotics. The government of prime minister Keir Starmer has also made violence against women and girls, including domestic abuse, sexual offenses, and stalking, a major police priority. However, public trust in policing is at historic lows due to the underfunding, along with high-profile scandals, such as racism, misogyny, and misconduct within police forces. In the most fwell-known recent case, Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old London woman, was kidnapped, raped, and murdered in March 2021 by a serving Metropolitan Police officer, who abused his authority to deceive her.
Scoop
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
ACT Announces Iain Bradley As ACT Local Candidate For Napier
ACT Local has selected — a former police officer and naval officer, now working in real estate and business — as its candidate for the Ahuriri Ward of the Napier City Council in this year's local election. Bradley served eight years with the London Metropolitan Police, followed by 13 years as a naval officer in the New Zealand Defence Force. In the private sector, he has spent the past seven years working across real estate and the automotive industry. He has solid experience leading teams, running day-to-day operations, and making sure people are held accountable. He's practical, focused, and knows how to tackle problems with a clear plan. 'Councillors shape our city's future, and it's time Napier lived within its means. If elected, I'll push for a tightly managed budget, smarter spending decisions, and lower debt. I'm standing with ACT to bring discipline, transparency, and value for money back to council.' – Iain Bradley Earlier this year, ACT New Zealand announced it would be standing Common Sense Candidates for local government for the first time, after hearing from New Zealanders across the country who are sick of rising rates, ballooning budgets, and councils that ignore the basics while chasing ideological vanity projects. When you vote ACT Local, you know what you're getting: Fixing the basics Lower Rates Cutting the waste Ending race-based politics Restoring accountability ACT Local Government spokesperson Cameron Luxton says: ' ACT Local candidates are community-minded Kiwis who've had enough of wasteful councils treating ratepayers like ATMs. It's time to take control on behalf of ratepayers — to restore accountability and deliver real value for money. ACT Local is about getting the basics right: maintaining roads, keeping streets clean, and respecting the people who pay the bills. Our candidates won't divide people by race or get distracted by climate vanity projects. They're here to serve, not lecture." –
Irish Examiner
03-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Madeleine McCann: Fresh police searches to start on Tuesday in Portugal
New searches by German police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are expected to begin in Portugal on Tuesday. Madeleine, then aged three, disappeared in 2007 while on holiday with her family in the resort of Praia da Luz after her parents went out to dinner and left her sleeping in a room with her toddler twin siblings. According to The Sun, the new searches will involve radar equipment that can scan beneath the ground and will focus on trenches near where the McCann family was staying at the resort. A spokeswoman for the London Metropolitan Police said: 'We are aware of the searches being carried by the BKA (German federal police) in Portugal as part of their investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. 'The Metropolitan Police Service is not present at the search, we will support our international colleagues where necessary.' Around 30 German police officers, including forensic experts, will be starting the search on Tuesday, with Portuguese police also on the ground, according to reports. On Monday, Portuguese police reportedly closed off dirt roads in the area where searches will be taking place, while tents have been set up in the nearby Atalaia area, near a cottage once lived in by Christian Brueckner, who German prosecutors say is the prime suspect in Madeleine's disappearance. Brueckner, who is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence in Germany for the rape of an elderly woman at her home in Praia da Luz in 2005, has denied any involvement. German authorities said they are receiving support from Portuguese law enforcement while the Portuguese police said that searches will be carried out between June 2 and 6 in the municipality of Lagos, in accordance with a European investigation order. Any evidence seized by the Policia Judiciaria will be passed to the German federal police. They last carried out searches in the country in 2023 near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz. Personnel at Barragem do Arade reservoir, in the Algave, Portugal, in May 2023 (Yui Mok/PA) Brueckner, who spent time in the area between 2000 and 2017, had photographs and videos of himself near the reservoir. It had previously been searched in 2008, when Portuguese lawyer Marcos Aragao Correia paid for specialist divers to search it after he claimed to have been tipped off by criminal contacts that Madeleine's body was there. British police were later given permission to examine scrubland near where she vanished in 2014. Last month, Madeleine's family marked the 18th anniversary of her disappearance, describing her as 'beautiful and unique' before her 22nd birthday, and expressing their determination to keep searching. A statement from her parents Kate and Gerry McCann, and the family said: 'The years appear to be passing even more quickly and whilst we have no significant news to share, our determination to 'leave no stone unturned' is unwavering. We will do our utmost to achieve this.' In April, ministers approved more than £100,000 (€118,000) in additional funding for Scotland Yard detectives investigating Madeleine's disappearance.
