STORY
More than 1,000 laptops, tablets and phones have been lost or stolen from the Ministry of Defence since 2024, according to figures reported by Sky News. The data, released following a Freedom of Information request, showed that 545 laptops, tablets and phones went missing between January 2024 and March 2026, along with 744 phones.
Sky News reported that none of the devices had been recovered and that the replacement cost could be more than £1.6 million. The figures included 132 laptops and tablets thought to have been stolen, along with 36 stolen phones, with the remainder recorded as lost by staff.
The disclosure comes at a difficult moment for the department, as ministers seek to make the case for higher defence spending while also demonstrating value for money. Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson James MacCleary described the missing devices as a security crisis and called on Defence Secretary John Healey to take control of the issue.