Second spy loses laptop

'Blind drunk' in London tapas bar

A second British spy has lost a laptop brimming with state secrets after getting "blind drunk" in a London bar. The latest secret service blunder came from MI6, and followed the agent getting blotto in a tapas bar in Vauxhall. According to today's Sun, the sozzled spook left the £2000 machine in a taxi he took from Rebato's tapas bar on 3 March. To add insult to injury, the loss happened the night before a thief stole a laptop from an MI5 agent at Paddington Station. MI5 is the branch of British Security that deals with domestic matters - MI6's remit covers the rest of the globe. MI6 bosses were said to be so worried about their loss that they took out a newspaper ad offering a "substantial reward" for the machine's return. The advert, in 9 March's Evening Standard, said: "Academic urgently seeks information leading to the recovery of PhD vital research notes stored on Toshiba 4000 Series CDS laptop computer in black carrying case lost in London on evening 3 March 2000. Please call 0171 245 0053." The computer was recovered by police a week later, but it is unclear if this was thanks to the ad. "There is a massive panic on about all this and the security chiefs are just hoping that the code of the MI6 machine was not cracked," a source told the tabloid. ® Related Stories Sneak thief steals secrets in MI5 laptop Web site names UK spies