Security News > 2021 > August > Activist raided by police after downloading London property firm's 'confidential' meeting minutes from Google Search
A man who viewed documents online for a controversial London property development and shared them on social media was raided by police after developers claimed there had been a break-in to their systems.
The society is a property development firm that wants to build flats over a children's caged ball court in the south London borough, something Hutchinson "Vocally opposes," according to the local paper.
Police said in a statement that Hutchinson was arrested on suspicion of breaking section 1 of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 "Between the 17th and 24th February 2021 and had published documents from the website on social media." They added: "He was taken into custody and later released under investigation. Following a review of all available evidence, it was determined no offences had been committed and no further action was taken."
While the property business did not respond to The Register's request for comment at the time of publication, in a statement given to the Southwark News it said: "When it came to the CBS's attention that confidential information had been accessed and subsequently shared via Twitter, the CBS made a general report of the data breach to the police - who requested a full log of visitor access to the website before deciding whether or not to progress. The police carried out their own independent investigation into who accessed the documents and how, and have now concluded their investigation."
"Surely the Met police cybercrime unit, the first thing they do is check the website for security before they go arresting somebody? Is that not a rational thing to think?" said Hutchinson, who added that the documents disappeared from the company's website in March - three months before his arrest.
Had Leathermarket CBS succeeded in convincing police and prosecutors to charge Hutchinson, he is unlikely to have faced prison.