It was found that the company, Sytech, had inadequate vetting procedures for new staff and police exhibits were being transported in private vehicles at a recent inspection. The Guardian has heard of further concerns from former staff who said that broken phones had been unsealed from evidence bags and sent to a consumer repair shop called Fone Fun Shop. On other occasions phones were sent abroad to be decrypted without the knowledge of the police, a former staff member said. One former employee, who wished to remain anonymous, recalled being directly aware of a phone being sent to Fone Fun Shop in Sheffield for repair on one occasion last year. Currently phones were not sent abroad, the company said, adding that all exhibits sent to external labs for unlocking were transported by a driver with police security clearance in a secure van.

Source: The Guardian June 12, 2019 14:01 UTC