More than 620 laptops have been stolen from the BBC and its staff in the last five years.
The corporation has also had 83 iPads, 109 mobile phones, 34 desktop computers and 98 cameras taken in the same five-year period, it has been revealed.
Among the more unusual thefts between 2010 and 2014 were four kettles and two fire-extinguishers. Even a sign telling staff not to steal toilet paper was taken from a toilet by a thief earlier this month.
The new figures were obtained from the BBC in a Freedom of Information Act request by the Parliament Street think-tank.
Its director, Clare George-Hilley, said: ‘These findings show that the BBC must do more to prevent theft and losses at every level of the organisation, taxpayers should not have to pick up the bill for sloppy management of expensive equipment.
‘To tackle this, the organisation needs to deliver more effective policies and training to ensure staff understand the importance of looking after devices.’
Ariel – the BBC’s in-house magazine – has reported thefts inside New Broadcasting House were becoming ‘increasingly common’ and revealed earlier this month three private letters to economics editor Robert Peston had been stolen from his desk.
The magazine reported thefts of high-value electronic items had been stopped following an in-house investigation earlier this year.
The figures show the theft of laptops at the corporation peaked in 2012 when 205 of them were taken – compared to 84 this year. More than 20 iPads have been stolen in each of the past three years, The Guardian reported last night.
The new information also reveals that Broadcasting House staff have reported theft of food and items of clothing.
The BBC said in a statement last night: ‘With thousands of staff and people coming and going in more than 150 BBC buildings at any one time, it is regrettably inevitable personal property and other items occasionally go missing.
‘The BBC takes such incidents seriously and has implemented a number of crime prevention measures.’
The broadcaster also stressed that said the list of stolen items included ‘all property stolen, whether BBC property or personal possessions of individuals’.
The BBC employed an average of 20,736 people this year, according to its latest annual report.