A police chief is to be charged under the Official Secrets Act after the theft of sensitive documents from his car while he was one of Britain’s most senior counter-terrorism officers.
Marcus Beale, an assistant chief constable with West Midlands police, has been suspended, putting his career in jeopardy.
Documents that had been stored in a locked box were stolen from an unmarked car Beale was using in May, as Britain faced a series of terrorist attacks and thwarted plots. Other items were also taken.
It was announced on Wednesday that Beale had been summonsed to face a charge under the 1989 Official Secrets Act of “failure to safeguard sensitive documents”.
After the theft, Beale was moved from his post overseeing the the West Midlands counter-terrorism unit, in which detectives and MI5 officers work alongside each other, to another non-terrorism-related role.
Beale would have had the highest security clearance. The West Midlands area is second only to London in its level of jihadist activity.
West Midlands police asked the Metropolitan police to investigate whether the theft of the sensitive documents involved any potential criminal liability by Beale.
The Met investigation led to the decision that Beale should face the charge.
A new police chief has been put in charge of the West Midlands counter-terrorism unit.
The Met police said: “The summons relates to a Metropolitan police investigation into the alleged failure to safeguard sensitive documents after items were stolen from an unmarked police car in May.
“A number of personal belongings were taken during the theft, along with a locked box containing documents relating to police matters. The theft from the vehicle is being investigated locally.
“Due to the nature of the documents lost, the Metropolitan Police Service was asked by West Midlands police to undertake an independent investigation into any criminal liabilities. The Met’s specialist operations directorate has national responsibilities in relation to offences under the Official Secrets Act.”
West Midlands police said they were conducting a separate investigation into who targeted Beale’s car.
Statements by police did not mention whether the stolen sensitive documents had been recovered.
Beale, who joined the force from Staffordshire police in 2011, is scheduled to appear at Westminster magistrates court at 10am on Thursday.
West Midlands police declined to give any further details.
