Britain's Police and Crime Minister was discussing the problem of theft and shoplifting at a meeting of senior police officers when the minister's purse was stolen.
A government official gave this information. Diana Johnson was attending a meeting of the Association of Police Superintendents of Central England. Addressing the meeting, a senior police officer told the chief that the criminal justice system has collapsed.
Johnson's purse was stolen at the conference, but there was no threat to his safety, the official said. In his speech, Johnson said Britain was dealing with an epidemic of antisocial behaviour, theft and shoplifting. Neither the Home Ministry nor the Home Ministry declined to comment after the purse was stolen. Warwickshire Police said the purse was stolen from the hotel where the conference was held. Police are investigating a complaint in this regard.