Parliament thieves steal £160,000

Security is tight at the Houses of Parliament

Cash and valuables worth a total of £160,000 have been stolen from the Houses of Parliament in one year.

The biggest theft was that of £130,000 by resources manager Paul Olden, from the Speaker's Art Fund. He was jailed for two years in July.

But computer equipment, mobile phones and a bicycle were stolen - along with designer sunglasses and a £100 scarf.

Police revealed the figures after a Freedom of Information request from the Evening Standard newspaper.

Scotland Yard's SO17 unit, which guards the Palace of Westminster, said there had been 20 reported thefts between April 2005 and April 2006.

It also revealed 119 weapons had been confiscated from people trying to enter Parliament.

Among them were 37 knives, three batons and 79 gas sprays.

Inspector Paul Barden told the Evening Standard: "This is an establishment which is centuries old. It is hardly surprising that most of the things within it are worth a few bob."