How did police laptop and phone stolen in West End venue end up in restaurant lost property?

Police are investigating how a bag containing a force laptop and phone ended up in the lost property of a central London eatery nine days after it was stolen.

The rucksack was reported as being stolen from an off-duty officer while he was in a venue in Great Portland Street, at about 5:40pm on March 30 this year.

It was handed into Charing Cross police station on April 8 after being found in the lost property of a different venue, a restaurant, within 1km of the location of the theft.

A Met Police spokesperson said: "Police were alerted on Monday, 30 March to reports that a bag was stolen from an off-duty officer at a venue in Great Portland Street, W1.

"The bag contained a phone, laptop, non-sensitive documents and items of personal clothing.

"The bag was later handed into a police station after being found by a member of the public at a separate venue.

"No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing. The Met's Directorate of Professional Standards is aware as is routine."

The Met was asked if the incident had been reported to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO as a data loss.

The force did not answer but added: "There is no suggestion of a data loss. We’re not commenting further."