A written question to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has revealed the extent of lost and stolen devices within the department during 2024.
Responding to Helen Maguire MP (Liberal Democrat – Epsom and Ewell), Defence Minister Maria Eagle outlined the figures, which cover incidents involving computers, laptops, phones, and USB sticks. The data reflects only those cases that were closed by 15th December 2024.
According to the report, 159 phones, 138 laptops, 125 USB sticks, and 25 computers were lost or stolen over the course of the year. The highest losses were recorded in March and July, with a notable spike in USB stick incidents in June when 84 were reported lost or stolen.
Below is a detailed breakdown:
| Month | Computers | USBs | Phones | Laptops |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1 | 9 | 13 | 13 |
| February | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 |
| March | 1 | 5 | 16 | 44 |
| April | 3 | 4 | 13 | 7 |
| May | 0 | 3 | 10 | 9 |
| June | 5 | 84 | 11 | 7 |
| July | 11 | 12 | 19 | 10 |
| August | 0 | 0 | 6 | 11 |
| September | 0 | 1 | 19 | 8 |
| October | 0 | 2 | 37 | 19 |
| November | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| December (to 15th) | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Total | 25 | 125 | 159 | 138 |
In her response, Maria Eagle pointed out the department’s commitment to safeguarding its assets. She stated:
“We take the security of defence assets very seriously and have robust policies and procedures to prevent losses and thefts. Defence personnel are regularly reminded of their responsibilities to safeguard Defence assets.”
The MoD highlighted that proportionate security controls are in place to protect electronic devices based on the sensitivity of the information they hold. While the figures may appear concerning in isolation, it is worth noting that the scale and complexity of the MoD’s operations involve managing thousands of devices globally.
What on earth is going on!