LONDON – Six people are due to appear in a UK court April 27 to face burglary and criminal damage charges after a van allegedly drove into a military drone maker’s entrance gate, police said April 26.
The investigation into the incident in the early hours of April 24 at the premises in central England has been led by counter-terrorism officers, Leicestershire Police said.
The business allegedly targeted is understood to be specialised military drone maker UAV Tactical Systems, according to Britain’s domestic Press Association (PA) news agency.
Israel-based defence firm Elbit Systems’ UK arm announced in January that it had fully acquired the British company, which supplies tactical uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), more commonly known as drones, to military and other customers.
Leicestershire Police said the six suspects – men and women from across southern England, aged between 25 and 41 years-old – have each been charged with one count of burglary and one count of causing criminal damage.
“The charges relate to a report that a van had driven into a gate at business premises just after 3am yesterday,” the force added in a brief statement.
“The investigation is led by Counter Terrorism Policing East Midlands with the support of Leicestershire Police.”
The six people charged were set to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on April 27.
UAV Tactical Systems has over the last two decades “supplied dozens of advanced tactical uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) to the British Army, according to Elbit Systems’ website.
It has also provided them “to international customers, including the United Nations and Nato member countries,” it noted.
UAV Tactical Systems and Elbit Systems’ UK arm did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment on April 25. AFP
