A SUSPECTED thief arrested in an undercover police operation has walked free after prosecutors failed to turn up in court.

Police have been left angered and the Crown Prosecution Service has launched an inquiry.

Police, magistrates and defendants waited an hour for a Crown prosecutor but none showed.

Sgt Emma Bryce, who led a team of officers to catch the thieves, said: "We are very disappointed by the mix up. We put a great deal of effort and time into the operation."

The Crown Prosecution Service today launched an investigation.

A spokeswoman said: "We are very concerned about what happened and we are considering taking this case further."

The CPS has the right to appeal against magistrates' rulings.

The two suspected thieves were captured after a police operation following reports of several handbags being stolen from libraries in Brighton and Hove.

Brighton PC Matt Ebeling came up with the idea of organising a sting to catch the thieves.

Sgt Bryce and three officers set up the operation at Brighton library in Church Street in February.

Posing as members of the public, they lay in wait and pounced when the two men made a grab for a handbag.

The suspects were handcuffed and taken to Brighton's John Street police station.

Only one of the two men answered their bail and turned up at Brighton Magistrates Court yesterday.

The 35-year-old looked surprised when the case against him and his 28-year-old accomplice was dismissed.

One angry policeman said: "What sort of message does this give the public?"

The case is an embarrassment for the CPS, which has vowed to make itself more efficient.

In an interview with The Argus earlier this month, new Chief Crown Prosecutor Mike Kennedy spoke of his plans for the future under reorganisation plans.

He said: "The reorganisation should allow lawyers to spend more time prosecuting and making decisions about prosecuting, rather than managing.

"I hope I will be able to deal with more casework than I would have been able to before.

"I am really looking forward to working with our partners in the criminal justice system to achieve a more satisfactory outcome for victims and witnesses, and for the local community as a whole."

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