PSNI won’t release details on weapons missing from custody

The PSNI says it is not in the public interest to disclose how many of its weapons have gone missing or been stolen from custody in the past two years – despite a former officer facing charges alleging he stole thousands of rounds of ammunition from a training facility.  

A freedom of information request filed by The Ditch sought details of any weapons stolen or missing from PSNI custody since May 2024.

This included the type of weapon, the circumstances of each loss, whether weapons were recovered and whether any disciplinary or criminal proceedings followed.  

The PSNI said that while it holds the information, releasing it would not be in the public interest. 

Could compromise and undermine 

In a public interest test the PSNI said there were arguments for releasing the information – including that doing so could promote public trust and demonstrate accountability – but that disclosure could potentially "compromise and undermine" any ongoing or future inquiries.  

In October a senior serving officer was arrested after around 40,000 rounds of ammunition went missing from a PSNI training college. 

Robert Charles Rodgers, 63, faced eight charges when he appeared in court in December.

These included theft of ammunition and fraud, specifically that he created a security card to gain access to a PSNI armoury at the Steeple training facility in county Antrim. 

He was dismissed for gross misconduct in March, and his criminal case remains before the courts. 

A second arrest was made in January, the Irish News reported. 

The PSNI would not say whether this man, aged 68, was a serving or former officer.  

The PSNI has previously disclosed information related to missing weapons. 

In 2015 it confirmed in response that 145 police weapons were missing or unaccounted for and gave details of weapon types, losses and disciplinary proceedings. 

The PSNI has been contacted for comment.