Fiction could not be stranger: Minister of State for Crime Prevention has her purse stolen at a conference for senior police officers on preventing theft and shoplifting.
Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention Diana Johnson, a member of Britain’s new left-wing government, delivered comments at a conference for the Police Superintendents’ Association this week, where her purse was stolen.
A 56-year-old man has been arrested — and released on bail — on suspicion of burglary connected to an alleged theft of a purse at a hotel in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, police say. The Guardian newspaper states the Home Office, Britain’s interior ministry, confirmed the theft of Johnson’s bag had indeed taken place.
The conference on theft and shoplifting heard from officers the criminal justice system is broken, and minister Johnson said she wanted to government to “restore respect for the rule of law on British streets”, saying respect for the police had been eroded. She said, in tough words for the officers present: “Too many town centres and high streets across the country have been gripped by an epidemic of antisocial behaviour, theft and shoplifting, which is corroding our communities and cannot be allowed to continue.
“There are thousands of incredible police officers and support staff doing an admirable job. But we do have to face the reality that there are still too many victims of antisocial behaviour who feel that when they call the police, no one listens, no one comes and nothing is done”.