A police force belatedly discovered that he had been robbed after finding some of his belongings during an unrelated search.
Officers searching for an address in Auckland, New Zealand, unexpectedly found “a number of documents” that were meant to have been destroyed, as well as expired canisters of pepper spray, reports 1 News.
A 41-year-old man has now been arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a restricted weapon, robbery and possession of instruments for robbery, but the force itself may now be in trouble with the country’s privacy watchdog.
Superintendent Karyn Malthus said: “Police are in the initial process of establishing exactly what documentation has been stolen and who may be affected by the breach. Police are extremely disappointed that this has occurred.”
Auckland Police will work with the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner on the investigation, it added.
