A group of Royal Navy sailors have been arrested on suspicion of stealing laptops and iPads from a shop on an American base.
The servicemen were accused of later selling the stolen goods at less than half the retail price.
Sailors allegedly involved in the scandal were marched off British ship HMS Middleton in handcuffs as part of an investigation conducted by the UK and US.
It has been reported that the group of sailors were suspected of using security alarm proof bags to pinch high value tech from the Main Navy Exchange.
A group of servicemen were allegedly arrested
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The Main Navy Exchange is a duty-free store on a US base located in Bahrain.
A chef and communications officers are believed to be a part of the group.
“Some were arrested by American armed military police when they were caught taking items out of the American shops on the base,” a source told The Sun.
“Military police took the rest of the lads off the ship in cuffs.
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Royal Navy minehunter HMS Middleton sails into Portsmouth Harbour
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“Bags of evidence were taken. It looked like they stole anything that wasn’t locked down — iPads, laptops, computer games.
“They had put the word out that if anyone wanted anything, they would get it and charge less than 50 per cent of the cost.”
The group, reportedly around seven sailors, were arrested in January.
They were later believed to have been taken to Colchester’s military prison in Essex.
Sailors wave from the stern of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales
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A Royal Navy spokesman said: “We are aware of an alleged incident which is under investigation.
“As this is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further or provide a timeline to when a conclusion can be provided.”
Reports of the alleged theft come less than a week after three British servicemen were arrested in Rotterdam.
One sailor was tasered by local police after allegedly injuring two officers.
A second sailor was charged for being drunk and a third for being drunk and disorderly in Rotterdam city centre and then failing to produce his ID.