Five Met officers taken off duty after weapons find

Five Met Officers Temporarily Reassigned After Weapons Discovery

A bag containing firearms and a Taser was uncovered on a London street, prompting the Metropolitan Police to take five officers off frontline duties. The find, made by a civilian on Tuesday evening, occurred outside the residence of London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, as reported by The Sun.

“The bag was believed to have been misplaced by on-duty officers just moments before it was spotted by the public,” the police stated in a release.

The Directorate of Professional Standards is examining the situation to determine the cause. The bag reportedly held a sub-machine gun, a pistol, a Taser, and several rounds of ammunition, according to media accounts.

A passerby, Jordan Griffiths, recounted to the Sun that he noticed the bag near a road and informed his partner after suspecting its contents. “After inspecting the items inside, I snapped photos and alerted the authorities,” he said. “When the police arrived, they were visibly stunned. They examined the bag thoroughly and swiftly removed the weapons.”

“We are reviewing the incident urgently and acknowledging the public concern it has raised,” the Met added in its statement.

Sir Sadiq’s spokesperson characterized the event as significant, emphasizing the need for the police to implement measures to prevent recurrence. In 2017, he had agreed to a full-time police protection detail, citing heightened risks to those in his vicinity as the reason for the decision.