Unreleased Pet Shop Boys Tracks Discovered by Police Detective in Abandoned London Apartment
London, UK — May 20, 2025
In a startling and unexpected discovery, a Metropolitan Police detective has uncovered a collection of previously unreleased tracks by the iconic synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys inside an abandoned apartment in East London.
Detective Inspector Carla Jennings was conducting a routine investigation related to a series of squatter break-ins when she entered the derelict flat on Mare Street in Hackney. While documenting the premises, she noticed several boxes of reel-to-reel tapes and DATs (digital audio tapes) labeled with track titles and dates ranging from 1987 to 1992 — many bearing the unmistakable handwriting of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe.
“Initially, I thought they were just old demo tapes or bootlegs,” Jennings told reporters. “But some of the labeling matched known working titles from the Pet Shop Boys’ sessions that were never officially released. I contacted the proper channels right away.”
The tapes have since been authenticated by the duo’s longtime archivist and former studio engineer, confirming that the recordings are indeed genuine and include alternate versions of well-known hits, alongside entirely unheard material presumed lost or abandoned during the band’s prolific late-80s period.
According to music historian Claire Redford, the find could be one of the most significant pop music archival recoveries in recent years. “The Pet Shop Boys have an extensive and meticulously curated back catalog, so anything outside of what’s already known is extraordinary,” she said.
A spokesperson for the Pet Shop Boys issued a statement thanking the detective and the Metropolitan Police for their handling of the discovery. “Neil and Chris are reviewing the material with interest. While no decisions have been made, the duo is considering a potential release, possibly as part of an expanded reissue or a standalone archival project.”
The origin of how the tapes ended up in the apartment remains under investigation, though initial reports suggest the property may have once been rented by a former assistant or producer connected to the band’s EMI era.
No criminal activity is currently suspected in relation to the tapes. Music fans around the world, meanwhile, are already buzzing in anticipation of hearing what could be a lost chapter in the Pet Shop Boys’ storied career.
