Assassins' first hotel

Apparently, the prime suspects Lugovoy and Kovtun did not fully realize they were handling a radioactive poison. Journalist Luke Harding described their behaviour as "idiotic, verging on suicidal"; while handling a leaky container, they stored it in their hotel rooms, used ordinary towels to clean up leaks, and eventually disposed of the poison in the toilet. On 17 October, perhaps realizing they contaminated their rooms (formerly Best Western The Shaftsbury), they prematurely checked out, moved to another hotel, and left London the next day.