London Mayor’s Protection Officers Removed After Firearms Bag Left in Street

Five armed police officers tasked with protecting London Mayor Sadiq Khan have been removed from frontline duties following an incident in which a bag containing firearms and ammunition was left on a street in south London and later found by a member of the public. The Metropolitan Police confirmed it is investigating the matter and has referred it to its directorate of professional standards.

The bag was discovered on a kerbside in south London at approximately 9:40 p.m. on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Met Police. Inside the bag were an MP5 semi-automatic Heckler & Koch carbine, a Glock pistol, a Taser, and ammunition, as reported by The Sun. The discovery prompted an immediate police response, with officers arriving at the scene within seven minutes of a call from the public and recovering the items.

The Met Police spokesperson said: “We have made a referral to the Met’s directorate of professional standards following an incident which took place on Tuesday 31 March. At around 21:40hrs, a member of the public called police after finding a bag containing Met-issued firearms and a Taser on a street in south London. Within seven minutes of the call to police, officers arrived at the scene and safely recovered the items. We are urgently reviewing the circumstances of this incident and recognise the concern it may cause. At this stage it is believed the bag was misplaced by on-duty officers a short time before the member of the public located it.”

The member of the public who found the bag was identified by The Sun as Jordan Griffiths, a scaffolder. Griffiths said his pregnant partner spotted the bag lying in the road and initially suspected it might contain something dangerous. In an interview with The Sun, Griffiths recounted: “My partner saw the bag sitting in the road by the kerbside and became suspicious. She went over to it and kicked it to see what it might be. But it was really heavy and didn’t move. It was lucky one of the guns inside didn’t go off or else she and our baby, due next month, could have been shot and killed.”

Griffiths added that he went outside to investigate, picked up the bag, and carried it inside, thinking it might be full of coins due to its weight. “I took it upstairs and put it on my bed and opened the bag up. I could not believe my eyes,” he told The Sun.

A spokesperson for Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said: “This is a very serious incident, which has been referred to the Met’s directorate of professional standards.” The spokesperson did not provide further details, deferring to the ongoing investigation.

The incident raises questions about the handling of firearms by police officers in public spaces, particularly those assigned to protect high-profile figures. The removal of the five officers from frontline duties suggests the Met is treating the matter with utmost seriousness, though the exact circumstances leading to the bag being left behind remain unclear.

The Metropolitan Police has not disclosed the exact location in south London where the bag was found, nor has it commented on whether the officers involved have been suspended or reassigned pending the outcome of the investigation. The referral to the directorate of professional standards indicates that potential misconduct or procedural breaches are being examined.

The Sun first reported the story, citing Griffiths as its source. Neither the Met Police nor the Mayor’s office has disputed the details as reported, but independent verification of the precise contents of the bag and the timeline of events has not been provided beyond the police statement.

The incident has drawn attention due to the potential risk to public safety had the bag fallen into the wrong hands, as well as the embarrassment it poses to the police force tasked with guarding one of the UK’s most prominent political figures. Sadiq Khan has been the Mayor of London since 2016 and is a frequent target of security threats, making the protection detail’s reliability a matter of public interest.

As the investigation continues, the Met Police has emphasised that it is reviewing procedures to prevent a recurrence. The case also highlights the challenges faced by armed officers who must balance operational security with the possibility of human error in high-stress environments.

No further details have been released about the officers involved, their specific roles, or how the bag came to be left unattended. The Met has said it will provide updates as the investigation progresses.

This article will be updated if more information becomes available.