Met forensics worker nicked cameras and tried to sell them on Ebay

A Met Police forensics worker is facing jail after he stole camera equipment worth thousands of pounds from work to sell on eBay.

Greg Brinklow, 56, took a Nikon D700 digital camera and two lenses as he battled debts worth £16,000.

Brinklow, a Met Police employee of 25 years and a special constable since 2010, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court wearing a dark suit and knee supports.

He admitted theft by employee and fraud by false representation.

According the Met, intelligence was received that Brinklow had stolen cameras, lenses and other electrical items from MPS stores.

He was then selling them for his own financial gain via eBay through his account gregbear44.

On 27 August 2020 a warrant was executed at his home and a number of items were seized.

Investigations matched several items via their serial numbers to those with which had been entered into a central MPS storage database.

He was interviewed under caution in November 2020 and charged in February 2022 with theft and fraud relating to around £7,000 worth of MPS equipment.

Judge Annabel Pilling told Brinklow: ‘I know this is a matter that goes back some time, that you were hoping matters would be concluded today, but I don’t consider that I am able to deal with you in the way suggested on your behalf.

‘I consider that the breach of trust is so significant that I can consider departing from the sentencing guidelines. I think there should be a proper punishment in this case.’

Brinklow, of Bedford, will be sentenced on April 6 pending the preparation of a probation report.

He has been granted unconditional bail.

Assistant Commissioner for Met Operations Louisa Rolfe said: ‘The Met is committed to rooting out any kind of behaviour that lets us down and this is an example of that.

‘The Directorate of Professional Standards acted immediately when informed about Brinklow’s activities and as a result he has now been rightly convicted. Dishonesty has no place at all in the Met.’

Misconduct proceedings will progress now that the criminal process has concluded.