Officer Banned From Police After Stealing Seven Fry-Ups In Training

Jamie Larman, who was a police constable in training at Thames Valley Police in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, helped himself to the fry-ups from the canteen despite knowing he was not entitled to free meals, a hearing found.

A fellow student officer reported hearing Larman comment: "I'm not entitled to this, but I should be, I only live just inside the boundary."

Rookies who lived more than 20 miles from the police training centre were allowed free meals from the canteen, but due to his living within this catchment area and not paying, Larman's conduct was ruled to be 'dishonest' and lacking in 'integrity'.

Larman admitted to not paying for the breakfasts and resigned in February, but the force said he would have been dismissed if he was still an officer and he has now been barred from joining all UK forces.

Chief constable John Campbell chaired a hearing via conference call last week in which he dismissed Larman's excuse that he stole the food to build rapport with colleagues as 'nonsense'. CC Campbell also cited evidence of Larman stealing food when he was a PCSO when declaring he should be banned from the police.

He said: "On numerous occasions he 'de facto' stole from TVP [Thames Valley Police] in the form of breakfasts from Sulhamstead Canteen. He did this in the full knowledge that he was not entitled to such free food and was breaching Force policy. Moreover he had previously been warned about such behaviour whilst training as a PCSO.

"I have considered the previous service history of the ex-officer and also received his written e mail in which he makes his case for mitigation. He states that the reason for his actions were to build rapport with colleagues who met early for breakfast ahead of training. I consider this nonsense. He could still have fulfilled this objective by paying for his own food and not stealing from TVP.

"To compound this, there is evidence that he had previously behaved similarly whilst a PCSO. He was fully aware of the Force rules and that he therefore was not entitled to free food, It was not a 'mistake' as he suggests, it was wilful and dishonest.

"He has no place in TVP. If still serving I would have dismissed him without notice. He will be placed on the COP [College of Policing] Barred list."