'Disgrace to their uniforms' £44K of stolen SAS kit could have armed deadly TERRORISTS
TOP SAS army kit valued at £44,0000 was stolen by two British soldiers who were blasted as a “disgrace to their uniforms”.
ISIS jihadis could have been sold SAS army weapons
Army stores NCOs Craig Davenport and Stephen Suffield pinched thousands of pounds of equipment - including stun guns, flare launchers, body armour and night vision googles.
The gear had originally been lifted for their friend Andrew Stevens, 41, who runs a paintball park but instead he sold it on to foreign contacts.
Now military police are now fearful the kit could have found its way into the hands of terror groups.
Sergeant Davenport, 33, posted photos of the army base's stock room, showing off the full range of gear and supplying Mr Stevens with a "shopping list" he could choose from.
The SAS soldiers stole equipment including Night Vision goggles
To cover his tracks, he set up a fake ID for a Sergeant Smith using the registration number of a colleague who retired from the SASA in 2008 and masked the thefts by claiming items had been sent for repair.
Instead, the kits were being transported to Mr Stevens who was then shipping them off to the Far East for extortionate prices.
In one sale to a single Japanese client, it is believed he pocketed a whopping £29,000.
Also among equipment that could have been sold to ISIS were stun guns
Mr Suffield, who had gambling a debt problems, stole up to £9,000 worth of gear and made £5,000 - while his colleague claimed most of what he stole was "scrap from bins".
However, the trio were caught out nine months later when Stevens was discovered trying to smuggle night vision googles to Hong Kong on a jet at Heathrow.
He was arrested when officers later discovered a further 18 stun grenades, silencers, flare launchers and other deadly kit at his home on Waterlooville, Hants.
Military officials worry ISIS could have their hands on the weapons
Davenport was arrested just days later and Suffield was flown home from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
A source said: “The two servicemen are a disgrace to their uniforms.
“To blacken the name of the SAS is a scandal.
Terrorists could also be in possession of SAS body armour
“All three would have known this kind of specialist equipment is prized by terrorists and criminals, and that could be where the people who bought it from Stevens would be looking to move it on.
“Equipment meant to be used by the SAS could be used against our armed services and the public.
“These three should have the book thrown at them.”
The three men have admitted their pilot to steal from the Ministry of Defence at an appearance at Portsmouth Crown Court earlier this year, and will be sentenced for their crimes later this month.