THEY are there to protect members of the public from crime - but it seems the police are just as susceptible to thieves as the rest of us.

Anthony Bond

THEY are there to protect members of the public from crime - but it seems the police are just as susceptible to thieves as the rest of us.

A Freedom of Information request by the EADT has found that items worth hundreds of pounds have been stolen from Suffolk's police stations, patrol cars and officers in the past four years.

These include antique handcuffs worth £90 being taken from Suffolk Constabulary's Martlesham Heath headquarters, a £500 generator and a 7ft tall plastic cut out of a police officer.

One thief's wardrobe has been bolstered with £500 worth of protective clothing while another cheekily managed to steal a public telephone and its cash contents worth £250 from police premises.

The two costliest items taken were a trailer worth £1,000 and a police officer's personal airwave radio worth £800 - although both were later recovered.

Other items taken include three blue flashing cone beacons, two police flat caps and, bizarrely, a flower worth £4.99.

The figures show that since 2005, the police have recorded 33 thefts of police property worth a total of £4,602.89.

A Suffolk Constabulary spokesman said Suffolk was a safe county but added: “Unfortunately though, there are occasions when even police officers become victims of crime.

“However, the numbers of thefts reported do remain extremely low, averaging fewer than nine incidents a year between 2005 and 2007. Of those incidents recorded, 14 items were recovered including most of the high value items. Any thefts are unfortunate and we always remind our officers and staff to keep police and personal property secure at all times where possible.”

Susie Squire, campaign manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance added: “Theft from the police is heinous crime. Taxpayers' money will now have to be funneled into replacement equipment, rather than into the frontline policing that is so badly needed. There must be serious consequences for such theft, and the guilty parties should be caught and punished.”

Value of items stolen from Suffolk Constabulary

2005 £730

2006 £995

2007 976.90

2008 1900.99