Redfaced UK coppers have had the National High-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) website nicked.

The NHTCU was folded into the Serious Organised Crime Unit (SOCA) a couple of years ago, but sites such as the BBC still routinely link to the former NHTCU website. Now it seems that the coppers let the domain registration lapse and it has been snapped by by cyber squatter Uwe Matt.

Security firm Sophos said the Government has been extremely careless. Senior technology consultant, Graham Cluley said that it could be used for malware as it would have halo about of government security. Sophos said that it had contacted Matt and he told them that all he wanted was cash because there were so many sites linked to the name he can make a killing on advertising.

Cluely points out that the police are constantly lecturing on the dangers of identity theft, but don't seem to have made fairly basic steps to avoid becoming a victim of it.

SOCA however said it was aware the domain www.nhtcu.org had lapsed and is taking steps to remind partners and stakeholders that the NHTCU became SOCA e-crime in April 2006.  After two years it is not really worth keeping on, it said.

More here.