A panel has ruled that three serving police officers committed gross misconduct when they did not arrest a thief.

At a misconduct hearing on Thursday, June 24, it was found that the Met’s East Area Command officers Special Police Sgt Edward McKiernan, 61, Special Police Sgt Arun Shandal, 49, and Special Police Sgt Russell Lee, 57, breached the Met's standards of professional behaviour in respect of duties and responsibilities.

It comes after an incident on May 11 when officers were flagged down regarding two suspicious males on bicycles, one of whom was later found to have stolen property from a shop.

However, the officers did not arrest him and let him go.

Afterwards, they returned the clothing to the store and said it was “found on the street”.

This incident was only recorded on police systems as a “satisfactory stop”.

At the hearing on June 24, Sgt Shandal and Sgt McKiernan were found to have breached the standards of professionalism in respect to duties and responsibilities and given a final written warning.

Sgt Lee was found to have breached the same standard, as well as for honesty and integrity - he was dismissed without notice.