WPc's car stolen with Palace passes inside

A policewoman's car has been stolen with passes to Buckingham Palace and Westminster inside.

The anti-terrorist officer's uniform, bulletproof vest and office keys were also in the black Audi.

Security operations were launched by the Palace and Downing Street today in case the stolen passes were used.

The WPc's private car was taken from her home in Bexleyheath on Thursday. Thieves are believed to have used a hook or magnet to drag keys out through her letterbox.

The officer - who is in her thirties but who has not been named - works for a bomb disposal unit of Scotland Yard's anti-terror branch. Her bosses believe the thieves were opportunists who did not know security passes were in the car.

All the locks at her office, however, have now been changed.

A police source said: "Warnings are being circulated by Special Branch to all relevant places such as Buckingham Palace and Downing Street."

The embarrassing theft comes two weeks after a murder suspect stole a motorbike belonging to a Yard undercover police officer watching him.

Secret files about the suspect and other police targets were on the bike.