London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

‘Didn’t they have backup?’ UK accidentally wipes 150,000 arrest records in major security blunder

‘Didn’t they have backup?’ UK accidentally wipes 150,000 arrest records in major security blunder

Some 150,000 records stored in UK police databases have been deleted due to a computer bug in an embarrassing development for the nation that supposedly took back control after finally parting ways with the EU.

The details of the blunder were first reported by the Times on Friday. The glitch affected the Police National Computer (PNC), the law enforcement database that stores millions of records of individuals, vehicles and crime evidence and allows various government agencies real-time cross checks.

According to the report, a weekly “weeding” session to expunge outdated data ended up with more than 150,000 records accidentally deleted. It happened due to a technical issue and not an intentional attack. Police databases of DNA and fingerprints connected to the PNC were also affected, the Times sources said.


The Home Office confirmed the incident in a statement, saying the issue “related to people arrested and released where no further action had been taken, and no records of criminal or dangerous persons have been deleted.”

The newspaper said the situation should not be downplayed. Some criminals could be released due to a lack of evidence and busted at a later point in time after biometric evidence links them to another crime scene. So the loss of records means that “offenders might go free”, the Times worried. While one of its sources even described the blunder as “potentially catastrophic”.

The deletion of the records has already caused problems for the UK’s visa issuance process. For two days, applications could not be checked against the PNC as the Home Office was scrambling to tackle the issue.

The exact impact of the glitch is yet to be determined. The number of deleted records may go up or down depending on what the investigation reveals and whether computer engineers manage to recover lost data, the Times said.

The Opposition criticised the Tories after news of the wipe became public. Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds lashed out at the “incompetence of this shambolic Government” and called on his cabinet counterpart, Priti Patel, to “urgently” provide answers about what had happened.


Meanwhile some people wondered if the sophisticated national law enforcement database could simply “restore from the backup and roll forward”.




Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×