Nuclear security

Nuclear alert: 130 security breaches at UK atomic facilities in last 5 years

Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) officers, charged with guarding the UK’s nuclear sites, admit there have been 130 security breaches over the last five years, including a handgun going missing and the keys to Hinkley Point power station getting lost.

The CNC said two of the breaches were classed as“high risk.”

In July 2012, an unloaded handgun went missing from the National Shooting Centre in Surrey. It was reported to Surrey Police, but the force could not determine whether it had been lost or stolen.

In October 2012, confidential information was texted to an officer at Sellafield in Cumbria.

Another two incidents were identified as “medium risk.”

In November 2013, the gate access keys for Hinkley Point in Somerset were lost. All locks at the site were replaced and the keys were subsequently found there.

In February 2012, a force camera was stolen from the Sizewell site in Suffolk and never recovered.

Low-risk incidents included the loss of electronic equipment and papers, and windows being left open.