Police gun is stolen in burglary

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A gun has been stolen from the house of a police officer during a burglary near Templepatrick in County Antrim.

A legally held handgun and a car were taken during the creeper burglary on the Seven Mile Straight in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Sinn Fein have called for an inquiry into the theft of the police-issue weapon.

The car, a Mini Cooper, was later found by police abandoned in the Stewartstown Road area of west Belfast.

Several other items were taken in the burglary.

Sinn Fein West Belfast assembly member Jennifer McCann appealed for people to be "very vigilant" following the theft of the gun.

"Anyone with any information about this incident and the whereabouts of the handgun should immediately come forward.

"I would appeal to whoever may still have the weapon to hand it back."

The robbery took place at about 0330 BST on Saturday.