Thefts from Parliament Buildings

The number of reported thefts from the Assembly Gift Shop from 2010 – 2014:

Thefts reported were in 2014. A brief description, cost, when it was stolen is as follows;

-       A pair of earrings priced at £30 –  June 2014 

-       A wooden bowl priced at £22 – June 2014 

-       A pair of earrings priced at £20 – July 2014 

This occurrence was reported to the PSNI through the Northern Ireland Assembly Security Office

The number of reported thefts from other areas of the Assembly from 2010 – 2014:

The number of reported thefts in other areas in the Northern Ireland Assembly from 2010 – 2014: 

-       Money reported stolen from a safe within an office in Parliament Buildings that is in the possession of a contractor who is based in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Total value £520.92 – April 2012 

-       Purse reported lost or stolen. This subsequently was recovered a week later in the Blue Flax restaurant minus £40 cash  - May 2013

These occurrences were reported to the PSNI through the Northern Ireland Assembly Security Office and subsequently investigated.

There have been three thefts in the past two months from the Stormont gift shop, and a further two thefts in other parts of Parliament Buildings in recent years.   

Persons entering Parliament Buildings must normally pass through metal detecting archways operated by Assembly security staff, situated at entrances.  Baggage etc. must also be passed through x-ray screening equipment.  Persons leaving Parliament Buildings are not required to undergo any security/search procedures.

The security function within the Northern Ireland Assembly is part of Usher Services.  This area has responsibility for many other services within the NI Assembly including security.  The role of the staff in this area therefore also includes, for example, management of internal post, provision of direct support to running of plenary / committee meetings and Assembly tours as well as security duties.   

The CCTV system comprises of more than thirty cameras which are located at strategic points of the Parliament Buildings site and within Parliament Buildings, which allows the Northern Ireland Assembly to carry out surveillance of the exterior and selected internal areas of Parliament Buildings.