(Newser)
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Forget phone hacking; police now have evidence suggesting that News of the World's private detectives just plain burglarized the homes of its subjects, the Independent reports. Documents from the investigation show that police believe Southern Investigations, a PR firm the paper often employed, had "gained unauthorized access to a private domestic premises." One undercover cop who infiltrated Southern Investigations confirms that the burglaries targeted members of parliament looking for embarrassing information.
The Independent also points out that several celebrities who had their phones hacked by the paper, including Hugh Grant, and Wayne Rooney's former agent Paul Stretford, have also had break-ins in which the burglars took nothing, though there is no direct evidence suggesting a link. One MP who looked into phone hacking himself says he "met many victims who had suffered mysterious break-ins." News executives and Southern Investigations deny wrongdoing.
