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Diana Johnson, the British minister responsible for policing and combating crime, had her bag stolen at a conference for middle and senior police officers, a government official revealed on Thursday, as she spoke about the problem of shoplifting and robbery.
The incident occurred as Johnson was attending a police conference in central England on Tuesday.
The government official said Johnson’s bag was stolen during the conference without any security risk being detected. Johnson said in her speech that Britain “suffers from rampant anti-social behaviour, shoplifting and theft.”
The Interior Ministry declined to comment.
Warwickshire Police said a 56-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of theft and had been released on bail.
Britain has seen a rise in theft and burglary in recent years. Although overall crime has fallen, according to the Office for National Statistics, the number of individuals stealing items such as bags and mobile phones rose by 40% in the year to March.
This has led to public support for the police falling to an all-time low, with a YouGov poll earlier this year showing that more than half of citizens do not trust their ability to solve crimes and more than a third do not believe they can keep the peace and order.
In her speech, Johnson announced plans to train more police forces.
