Met Officer Caught Stealing £7,000 of Gear!
Greg Brinklow, a Met Operations officer, has admitted stealing cameras, lenses, and other tech worth around £7,000 from the police service. The disgraced cop pleaded guilty to theft and fraud at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 16 March.
Brinklow’s Crimes Exposed
Back in August 2020, intelligence tipped off the Met that Brinklow was ripping off police stores and flogging the gear for personal cash. Police swooped on 27 August, executing a warrant at his home and seizing stolen items. Serial numbers on the kit matched the Met’s property records.
Quick Police Action
Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe slammed Brinklow’s “dishonesty” and promised the Met would root out rogue officers.
“The Met is committed to rooting out any kind of behaviour that lets us down and this is an example of that,” she said. “Dishonesty has no place at all in the Met.”
Brinklow was interviewed under caution in November 2020, charged in 2022, and suspended from duty while investigations continue. He’s due for sentencing in April and faces misconduct proceedings once the criminal case wraps up.
Rebuilding Public Trust
The Met says it is already making moves to clean up its act. This includes two independent reviews, a fresh look at all sexual and domestic abuse claims involving Met staff, and beefed-up staff numbers in the professional standards team.
“We cannot and are not waiting for the findings of ongoing inquiries to begin rebuilding public trust,” officials said.
