On 20 October 2025, Morgan McSweeney, then serving as chief of staff to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, had his government-issued iPhone stolen in Belgrave Road, Westminster, central London. The incident occurred shortly before 22:30 BST when a man on a pedal bicycle snatched the device from McSweeney on the pavement and cycled away. McSweeney immediately pursued the suspect before contacting his office to activate tracking and then dialling 999 to report the theft.
In a highly unusual step taken on 25 March 2026, the Metropolitan Police released the full transcript of the emergency call to promote transparency amid public interest in the case. The force emphasised that the caller had not disclosed his senior position in Downing Street or the potential sensitivity of the phone’s contents.
Key Excerpts from the 999 Transcript
The transcript reveals that McSweeney described the device only as “a government phone” and provided no details of his role or any classified material it might contain. He did, however, confirm the presence of a tracking system and stated that he had already alerted his office.
Call handler: Police, what’s your emergency? McSweeney: Oh, hello, someone just robbed my phone. Call handler: And where did this happen? McSweeney: It happened in Belgrave Street in Westminster.
McSweeney went on to describe the thief as “a black guy… young… late teens… slim… about average height” riding a pedal bike. He noted the suspect had turned left into a park after cycling north. The call handler, attempting to log the location, recorded “Belgrave Street” in the system, which defaulted to an address in Tower Hamlets, east London, approximately five miles from the actual scene in Belgrave Road, Pimlico.
Later in the call: Call handler: Have you got a tracker on the phone at all? McSweeney: I do. It’s a government phone. Call handler: And it’s your work phone. What kind of phone is it? McSweeney: It’s an iPhone.
McSweeney provided his name, date of birth, personal email address, and a home address outside London. He confirmed he was willing to make a formal statement and was issued a crime reference number during the call.
Initial Police Error and Reopened Investigation
The address discrepancy led officers to conduct a review of CCTV footage in the wrong area of Tower Hamlets, including near Stepney Green Park. No realistic lines of inquiry were identified, and the investigation was closed without further action or direct contact with McSweeney.
In a statement issued on 25 March 2026, the Metropolitan Police acknowledged the error: “In the course of responding to a recent media inquiry, we became aware that the address was entered incorrectly at the time of the initial call and should instead have been recorded as Belgrave Road, Pimlico.” The force has now amended the record and confirmed that detectives will reassess the case, including a fresh examination of available CCTV in the correct Westminster location.
Political Context and Mandelson Correspondence
The theft has attracted significant attention because McSweeney’s phone is understood to have contained messages exchanged with Lord Peter Mandelson. At the time of the incident, McSweeney had played a key role in Mandelson’s appointment as UK ambassador to the United States. Mandelson was subsequently removed from the post following revelations concerning his past associations with Jeffrey Epstein.
Parliament has since passed a motion requiring the government to release all relevant correspondence relating to the appointment. Concerns have been raised that messages on the stolen device might be lost, although the Cabinet Office has confirmed that certain emails and texts between McSweeney and Mandelson are held on official systems and will form part of forthcoming disclosures.
Downing Street Response on Security Protocols
A government spokesperson stated that McSweeney reported the theft to relevant Downing Street security teams on the same day. The device was remotely shut down immediately, and McSweeney was issued a replacement phone with the same number the following day. Officials stressed that “long-established and robust processes” exist to manage information security on government devices.
Ministers have described the loss of any messages as a “cock-up rather than conspiracy,” noting that officials are expected to back up or record substantive discussions using professional judgment. Downing Street has declined to confirm whether all exchanges were duplicated on official servers, citing the ongoing release of the Mandelson files.
Broader Implications for Government Device Security
The case has prompted renewed scrutiny of security protocols governing ministerial and senior official mobile devices. Critics have questioned why McSweeney did not explicitly highlight the phone’s sensitivity during the 999 call, while others have focused on the Metropolitan Police’s initial handling of the report. The Metropolitan Police has defended its actions, stating that the caller’s employment and the device’s contents “were not information provided to us and could not reasonably have shaped our decision-making.”
As the reopened investigation proceeds, the episode underscores the challenges of protecting sensitive government communications in an era of routine street crime targeting high-value phones. It also highlights the tension between operational transparency and the need to safeguard national security information. The Metropolitan Police has reiterated its commitment to thorough and accurate recording of all reports, regardless of the caller’s status.