Morgan McSweeney did not disclose his No 10 job in phone theft 999 call, transcripts show

Morgan McSweeney did not disclose he was the prime minister’s chief of staff when he reported his phone stolen, according to a transcript released by the Metropolitan police.

The Met has admitted the wrong address was recorded for the theft meaning that it was thought to be a street in Tower Hamlets, rather than a Westminster street of the same name.

McSweeney, who left the No 10 role in February, told police it was a government phone when he reported it snatched minutes after the theft in central London. He told police the iPhone had a tracker on it, according to the transcript of the emergency call minutes after it happened.

In a highly unusual move, the Met released the full transcript of the 999 call made by McSweeney after the theft. The force said two attempts were made to follow up with McSweeney who did not answer during office hours, and that CCTV cameras were examined, though at the wrong location.

They conducted a review of any available CCTV cameras in the area where the incident was mistakenly believed to have happened, which did not identify any realistic lines of enquiry.

In the call, McSweeney says the phone is his work device and he has reported it to his office already to attempt to have it tracked. Though he says the phone is a “government phone”, he does not say there could be a higher risk because of his job.

McSweeney’s phone records are subject to public scrutiny because of his correspondence with the former US ambassador Peter Mandelson, who was sacked over new revelations about his friendship with the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. A Conservative motion passed in the Commons means the government is obliged to disclose all their correspondence.

Police are revisiting a closed investigation into the theft of McSweeney’s phone after admitting they recorded the wrong address.

In the call transcript, McSweeney says the theft took place in Westminster. The call handler later refers to “Stepney Green park”, which is near the incorrect address, though McSweeney does not appear to recognise that.

McSweeney says in the transcript he is reporting the theft just minutes after it occured. He says he attempted to follow the thief several blocks north, but is told by the handler not to take any further risks. He says he wishes to make a crime reference report immediately, rather than wait to be contacted by an officer.

No 10 has said the device was shut off immediately and McSweeney was issued with a new device the next day with the same number.

The WhatsApp messages of aides and ministers are due to be published in the next tranche of the Mandelson files and the prime minister is said to be braced for potential further resignations over their contents. McSweeney resigned in February over his role in Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the US.

Thousands of documents in the second tranche of the Mandelson files – expected to include informal communications alongside formal messages like those in the first batch – are expected to be released after Easter.

A Met spokesperson said: “On Monday 20 October police received a report from a man in his 40s alleging that his phone had been snatched.

“The incident was recorded as having taken place in Belgrave Street, E1.A review of the allegation, including a consideration of whether there was available CCTV, did not identify any realistic lines of inquiry. The investigation was subsequently closed.

“In the course of responding to a recent media inquiry, we became aware that the address was entered incorrectly at the time of the initial call and should instead have been recorded as Belgrave Road, Pimlico. Having identified this error, the report will be amended and the assessment of whether there is available evidence revisited.”