PSNI investigates loss of officer’s laptop and notebook

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd said it is believed the material fell from a moving vehicle on the foreshore stretch of the M2 motorway on Thursday (August 17) around 4.15pm.

He added: “The laptop was immediately deactivated and has been recovered.

“Sections of the notebook remain outstanding.

“Inquiries are underway to establish the contents of the notebook.

“We will be liaising with the Office of the Information Commissioner and have advised the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the Department of Justice.”

The PSNI is urging anyone with information or who recovers any material to contact the force.

It comes just a week after the PSNI confirmed an “unprecedented and industrial-scale” data breach.

The surnames and initials of all current PSNI officers and staff, together with the location and department in which they work, was mistakenly shared online in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request.

Chief Constable Simon Byrne said they were now “confident that the information is in the hands of dissident republicans”.

Details of a second data breach emerged less than 24 hours after the initial leak when the PSNI revealed that documents, including a spreadsheet containing the names of more than 200 serving officers and staff, were stolen from a private vehicle last month.

The PSNI said detectives investigating criminality linked to the FoI data breach had arrested a 39-year-old man on Wednesday (August 16) on suspicion of collection of information likely to be useful to terrorists.

The PSNI confirmed he has now been released on bail to allow for further police inquiries.