TWO police officers have received formal warnings after firearms were stolen from an armed-response vehicle.

A Sig 9mm pistol with 12 rounds of ammunition, a Taser stun gun and three baton rounds were stolen from the Cleveland Police vehicle last August. They were recovered the next day when armed officers raided Lee Solan's home in Chelmsford Walk, Middlesbrough, and found them hidden inside a plant pot in the garden.

The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to offences of theft and possession of a firearm and was jailed for 30 months.

He had been arrested in Crescent Walk, Middlesbrough, on suspicion of riding a motorbike with excess alcohol. A breath test at a police station proved negative. As a result, he was being taken back to collect his bike, and stole the weapons as he left the vehicle. They had been left in a box in the rear of the car.

The incident was voluntarily referred by the police force to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which oversaw the force's investigation.

IPCC Commissioner Gary Garland said: "This incident could have had a far more serious outcome. It is apparent Mr Solan was an opportunist and thankfully did not appear to have any intention of using the weapons he had stolen.

"Once he was identified as the probable thief, Cleveland Police's response to recover the weapons was considered, measured and timely.

"However, the report has identified a number of errors prior to that, and a culture within the unit of developing practises without endorsement from supervisors.

"I believe the recommendations made will address these issues and ensure officers are clear about how they should operate. This should ensure this type of incident does not occur again."

The officers were criticised for failing to safely and securely store the weapons; the force had poor standard procedures for storing weapons; and the officer who rode Mr Solan's motorcycle to Cannon Park did so with his firearms on full display, which was regarded as dangerous.

As a result of these findings, the two police officers will receive superintendent's warnings for their conduct in relation to the security and safekeeping of firearms and ammunition in their care.

The force has now introduced new procedures.

A Cleveland Police spokesman said: "It was a most unusual incident and we are determined that it will not happen again.