British diplomatic staff in the United States have lost or had stolen property valued at approximately £100,000 over the past five years, according to official records. The list of missing items includes a luxury Jaguar F-Pace vehicle, a crate of whiskey, a barbecue, a coin collection, and at least 23 iPhones. The losses span the British Embassy in Washington DC and consulates in New York, Boston, Houston, Atlanta, and Miami.
Houston Burglary Accounts for Largest Loss
The most significant loss occurred following a burglary at the UK consulate in Houston in 2022. Thieves stole a Jaguar F-Pace and a Mitsubishi vehicle, along with a generator, a television, golf clubs, a coin collection, clothing, a coat, and a barbecue. The total value of the stolen items in Houston exceeded £67,000, including £1,407 for the TV, £1,123 for the golf clubs, and £905 for the generator. The Foreign Office did not assign a value to the stolen cars, but a new Jaguar F-Pace can cost up to £90,000. Officials confirmed that the thieves were eventually tracked down, prosecuted, and jailed, and some property was recovered.
iPhones and Laptops Lost Across Multiple Locations
In Boston, staff reported a missing laptop and iPhone in 2021, two security passes lost in 2023, and four more iPhones vanished last year. Atlanta lost three iPhones in 2023, Miami logged one missing iPhone, and New York reported both a stolen iPhone and a lost laptop. Washington DC was the worst-hit single location, with 13 lost or stolen iPhones recorded since 2022, plus a laptop and a case of whiskey taken from the building. Some of these losses occurred while Peter Mandelson served as Britain's ambassador to the US. Mandelson took up the post in February 2025 and was dismissed seven months later over his links to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Continued Losses in 2026
The losses have continued into this year, with two more iPhones reported missing from the British Embassy in Washington DC and a laptop stolen in Houston. John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: “Taxpayers will be stunned that British diplomats have managed to lose a small fortune in cars, phones and even whiskey. This catalogue of carelessness suggests appalling controls over publicly funded property. The Foreign Office must recover what it can, identify who was responsible and ensure taxpayers are not left picking up the bill.”
Foreign Office Response
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: "We take the security of government and staff assets extremely seriously. If any assets are reported lost or missing due to suspected criminal activity, we take the necessary steps to investigate, prosecute and recover the items."
