Another Blunder, These times will be remembered in future not as Black days in Britain but instead Brown ones.

Peter, Vancouver. BC., Canada

""security features" made them unusable"
If you believe that you'll believe anything. How exactly is the FO going to "preventate" forgeries? Why does FO think that others cannot have the technology? A foreign power or even a crime ring may well be able crack the security devices.

Amin Aswet, Gibraltar,

I am waiting for the silence from those in favour of ID cards !

It is not true to say that these stolen passports cannot be used - they will be used to obtain all kinds of goods and services (including financial) and to obtain other 'genuine' documents.

Now do you feel secure from terrorists ?

Howard, London, UK

No use for travel abroad but the passports and visas are not unusable in situations where security features are not checked. They will give access to NHS services, work and the opening of bank accounts as long as the holders don't travel the documents are a gift at any price.

LDB, West Sussex, UK

The identity thieves are probably already planning to relieve the government of the first batch of Labour's planned identity cards, not to mention cloning such documents. This once again proves that identity documents, that will be taken at face value, will cause more identity theft than they cure.

Lord Justin, London, UK

A really good field test of your new security systems then Gordon?

Jim, Prudhoe, England

Why are the guards not armed ?

C P Timms, London, England

Check the flights to Nigeria. Only they have the expertise to defeat the half baked security barriers the British can dream up.

michael, brightlingsea, england

A spokeswoman said "they contained “security features” which would make them unusable".
Where there's a will there's a way. I don't think it will be long before these security features are breached.

Mark H, London, England

Would the unhackable security features be the RFID chips that have been hacked many times since 2006 & reported on in many newspapers?

Reminds me of a certain ship that was apparently unsinkable - now lying at the bottom of the Atlantic.

James Goodchild, Colchester, Essex

A retired expert was interviewed this morning on Radio 5 Today and asked the value of each of these stolen passports. Answer £1,700 each. 3,000 x £1,700 = £51,000,000; Wow.

Frank , Liverpool, Merswyside

Such shallow thinking: Passports aren't just used to cross borders - they are used as ID in a large number of situations where 'hi tech' systems are not available to validate them.

paul, Milton Keynes,

Why don't we simplify things, save money and just give away passports in packets of cornflakes.

Baz, London, UK

HAHAHAHAHA
so much for the penny pinching official that thought that sticking the ultra sensitive consignment in plane brown cardboard boxes on a domestic courier firm would save some cash.
No doubt he will be promoted to senior management position in due course and both the drivers sacked.

simon, norwich,

With Labour handing out British passports like confetti it's a wonder anyone is naive enough to believe they have to steal them. Simply turning up at Croydon immigration office is sufficient for most people.

Simon, London, UK

Rob in London. Does anyone here actually believe anyone in government has the intelligence to flip burgers? It takes co-ordination, organisation and the ability not to mess things up. I'm struggling to think of anyone in Parliament with those qualifications.

Alex, York,

Can't be used to enter or leave this country, perhaps, but able to pass between any two other countries which don't posses the means of checking the electronic data as British citezens, just the ticket!

Andy, Leeds, UK

Do you believe the Government when they say these documents are unusable? Why was this van and the particular contents targeted by what was clearly a professional gang. They know they can sell these new documents on to someone who will try and break all the security features. So much for ID security

Pete Smith, Stroud,

It's about time MPs were forced to sit a competency test before running for office. Time and time again this government has lied and scammed and plundered this country into moral and fiscal bankruptcy... and we have two years to go! Now they are just doing what damage they can on purpose! Sad.

Mark Newman, Bangkok, Thailand

Just think of all the situations where a passport is used as ID, where the chip info is not read and the number is not recorded. Are the stolen blanks really "unusable"?

Kate, Norwich, UK

The gov. is clearly incapable of looking after sensitive documents. I dont think the gov. should be allowed to press ahead with any ID cards or national health databases until these lapses are resolved and confidence restored (hmm) far too many civil servants walking around with laptops full of data

Rob, London,

Biometric ID - the absolute incompetence of the government in holding and handling our identity information and documents, coupled with criminals making use of this for wholesale identity theft operations (they'd be stupid not to - it's easier than ever!).

rik waters, Munich,

Ipredicted that the curse ofHabeus Corpus/Magna Carta had not finished with Brown yet- you wait there are a few more nasties to come, scandals, MP's dying suddenly etc., watch this space

peter c, devizes, wessex

Once again, it proves what muppets we have working in the government. They are all self serving ego-maniacs who care less for the people they serve than their own expansionistic careers. Disgrace! I would hand them all their P45s and tell them to flip burgers in mcdonalds.

Rob, London,

To those 3000 (un)lucky golden ticket holders... make yourselves at home! What's ours is yours! Mind the yobs.

Howard, Manchester,

This was a well planned robbery, by criminals who knew exactly what they wanted. If the "security features" really made the passports unusable, no one would have bothered to steal them.

When will we learn that new technology does not provide security, just fresh criminal opportunities.

Bob H, Sonning, Berkshire

The info must have been used, how can they say the passports are of no use, in other countries where passports are not freely avaiable people can forge, so actually having the most latest passports in your hands would be like gold to the thieves who have stole them.

Indy, Hornchurch, UK

The FO spokespeson says the stolen passport contained 'security features' making it unusable - perhaps for travelling by air and seaport. They are very valuable to obtain NI, identity fraud and travelling by land in and out of UK border - no doubt!

d, london,