Morning:
14°c
Met officers arrested over drugs and stolen Xbox
Aline Nassif09.01.09
THREE Metropolitan police constables have been arrested on suspicion of drugs offences and stealing a computer game console seized during a raid.
Pcs Dermot Sargent, of Redhill, and Jerome Bradley, of West Sussex, were taken into custody on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs and stealing a Microsoft Xbox console.
A third officer, Pc Arran Auker, was arrested after suspected cannabis was found in his locker.
Pcs Sargent and Bradley - both on Croydon police's response team - have been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation.
Pc Auker, who like his colleagues is based at South Norwood police station, has been placed on restricted duties.
The men were arrested on 17 December. Senior Met investigators brought in a sniffer dog to search the South Norwood police station locker room, where officers found what is suspected to be a small bag of cannabis in the locker belonging to Pc Auker.
There are strict rules about storing all items linked to police investigations. A police source said: "Drugs or anything relating to an investigation should never end up in someone's home or in their work locker. Evidence should be booked in and drugs should go in a drugs safe. There are strict procedures in place to deal with these matters."
Pc Auker said: "I've got nothing to worry about. I'm innocent." The other two officers declined to comment.
A Met Police spokeswoman this week confirmed the inquiry.
She said: "Two serving Pcs, aged 26 and 34, were arrested in South Norwood on 17 Decem ber on suspicion of possession of class A drugs and theft.
"They were both taken into custody at a central London police station, where they were later bailed to return on a date in February pending further enquiries. Both men are serving Pcs based in the borough of Croydon, and they have been suspended.
"A third Pc, aged 34, was arrested in South Norwood on 23 December on suspicion of possession of cannabis. He was bailed to return on a date in February pending further enquiries. " All three officers face losing their jobs if charged and found guilty. The Directorate of Professional Standards is investigating all three cases. The directorate's findings will be passed to senior officers to see if criminal proceedings are necessary.
