A former Scotland Yard detective has told GB News of his "disbelief" after a bag containing guns was left outside the home of London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan.
Speaking to Nana Akua, retired detective Hamish Brown declared "words almost fail me" as he delivered his verdict on the incident.
Armed police officers responsible for protecting London Mayor Sadiq Khan allegedly abandoned a bag containing firearms and a Taser on a south London street on Tuesday evening.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Friday that an investigation has been launched into the incident, which saw weapons issued to the mayor's protection team discovered by a passing member of the public.
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According to reports, the bag held an MP5 semi-automatic Heckler & Koch carbine, a Glock pistol, ammunition and a Taser.
The Met's directorate of professional standards is now examining how the equipment came to be left unattended on a residential street.
The bag was spotted on a kerbside at approximately 9:40pm on Tuesday 31 March. A member of the public contacted police after stumbling upon the suspicious holdall, and officers reached the location within seven minutes to secure the items.
Speaking to GB News about the incident, Mr Brown stated: "Words almost fail me. If I say it's serious, that is an understatement.
Hamish Brown has expressed his 'disbelief' at security officers leaving a bag filled with guns outside Sadiq Khan's home
|GB NEWS / PA
"It's beggars belief - if this had got into the wrong hands..."
Admitting he is "pleased" that the bag was found and reported to the police by a member of the public, Mr Brown added: "I know a gentleman saw the bag, took it home and it was reported to the police. I'm pleased at least that happened.
"But that's probably the only good thing about this."
Stressing that the officers now under investigation will be "aware that their jobs are on the line", the ex-detective called for a "full disciplinary investigation".
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Armed police protecting London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan left a bag filled with firearms on a street outside his south London home | GETTYHe told Nana: "It is a horrible situation and the officers who are under investigation will know that their jobs could well be on the line. This full disciplinary investigation will take place and take place from now.
"But what they'll be looking at is how did this happen? Why? And with that, they'll be looking for the supervision as well, which comes into any disciplinary investigation. So I think those aspects are important.
"And whilst this has not done the public confidence in the police any good at all, at least they can take away from this that the severe most action will be taken and the investigation starts from this moment, with them taken off frontline duties."
The Met Police’s Directorate of Professional Standards has launched an investigation. All five officers involved have been removed from frontline duties.
Mr Brown told GB News that the incident will have done 'no good' for public confidence in the police
|GB NEWS
In a statement, a Met spokesman said: "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 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."