A Metropolitan Police officer who bunked a train from London Bridge to East Croydon has been sacked. 

Special Constabulary (SC) Shteryu Shterev was off duty when he took a Thameslink train. 

When he arrived at East Croydon he showed his police warrant card at the exit gate. 

The station staff member on the gate believed the volunteer officer was expecting him to open the gate because of this warrant card. 

However, the staff member refused to do that and told him he could not exit using his warrant card. 

A misconduct hearing was told that SC Shterev was then rude to the staff member. 

He then went to the excess fare window to complain and showed them a City of London ID pass and a Metropolitan Police ID. 

A staff member then left SC Shterev to get more advice on the rules of police travel, but when he returned SC Shterev had gone. 

SC Shterev explained that he had misunderstood the regulations on the use of police issued Oyster card and warrant card. 

A misconduct panel said: “The police free travel concession is a great privilege and with privileges come responsibilities. 

“Police officers must understand what their obligations and responsibilities are and must never abuse their privileges.” 

He was found guilty of breaching the Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of Honesty and Integrity and Discreditable Conduct. 

He was therefore dismissed without notice.