EAC AMCONSULATE TIJUANA - EAC CONVENED TO DISCUSS LOCAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TIJUANA 000666 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR DS, CA, DS/IP/WHA, DS/TIA/PII, AND MEXICO CITY FOR RSO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC CASC PINS PTER MX SUBJECT: EAC AMCONSULATE TIJUANA - EAC CONVENED TO DISCUSS LOCAL GUARD MOBILE PATROL CAR-JACKING TIJUANA 00000666 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (U) On June 22, 2009, Post's Emergency Action Committee (EAC) was convened to discuss a crime incident involving the contract Local Guard Mobile Patrol, and Post's response to mitigate any potential vulnerability. Post's contract Local Guard Force Mobile Patrol (LGP)guards were Car-Jacked by three armed men in the early morning of Sunday, June 21, 2009. The crime incident resulted in no injuries, but the contractor's vehicle and other security equipment, such as a radio and a residence address list, were stolen by the gunmen. EAC participants included CG, CONS, RSO, DEA, DHS-ICE, MGT, CLO, and OBO. ¶2. (U) RSO informed the EAC about the crime details. At approximately 0140, on Sunday, June 21, 2009, the two Intercon contract Mobile Patrol guards were seated in the Mobile patrol LGP vehicle near a Mission residence in the Hacienda Agua Caliente neighborhood of Tijuana. They were utilizing a White Nissan 4-dr sedan with no logo or marking which would identify the vehicle as connected to the U.S. Consulate General or to a security company. At this time, a Blue Ford Focus vehicle without tags pulled up behind the LGP Mobile Patrol vehicle and three males with weapons exited the vehicle. Due to Mexico law, LGP guards do not carry firearms. The perpetrators pointed two revolver hand-guns at the LGP Mobile Patrol guards' heads and demanded they leave their belongings and exit the vehicle and get down on the ground. The Patrol guards said the perpetrators appeared surprised when they first noticed the guard uniforms, and asked them who they work for. The Patrol guards said they work for a private security company. Both the Patrol guards exited the vehicle at which time they were searched for other belongings which were taken. Then one perpetrator drove off in the LGP vehicle, and the other two left in their Blue Ford Focus. The Patrol guards were not injured and they immediately contacted their supervisor at Intercon to pick them up and also contact RSO. Local police took the crime report and began a look out for the vehicle. ¶3. (SBU) The RSO office does not have any information that these individuals were targeted because of their employment by the US Government, and the incident appears to be a crime of opportunity. The Patrol guards had no keys to enter Mission residences, apartments, nor into yards of walled residences. Carried by the Patrol were some unlabelled remotes to communities containing cluster housing and keys to lobbies and public areas of apartment buildings. That same day, community private guards at the entry gates of cluster housing were requested not to allow access to the neighborhoods by the White Nissan and to be vigilant in checking identification of any private guards entering the communities. Considering their experience, the LGP guards are in good condition and have expressed willingness to continue to perform Mobile Patrol duties. The Intercon contractor rented a substitute vehicle and resumed patrols of Mission residences that same day. ¶4. (SBU) After notifying Post management, early that morning, RSO also contacted all personnel occupying Mission residences, notifying them of the crime incident and cautioning all to take security precautions and not mistake any driver of the familiar White Nissan patrol vehicle as a member of the guard force. The RSO reminded all staff that Tijuana is rated as "critical" for crime and everyone should always be aware of their surroundings, use their residence alarms, and practice good security measures. All post personnel had attended mandatory Car-Jacking avoidance and crime awareness training on March 25, 2009 coordinated by RSO and provided by DS Mobile Security Training team (DS/MSD). The training was relayed to LGP guards also by RSO and included in their procedures. ¶5. (SBU) RSO informed the EAC that when confronted by the armed perpetrators the LGP guards response was consistent with the training in crime response and guard orders, not provoking further violence by resisting or confronting the three armed gun-men. However the LGP guards' vigilance in observing their surroundings prior to the crime was not according to the procedures in their guard orders. RSO recommended that Post's security posture be improved with additional training in vigilance for the LGP guards and that Mobile Patrol procedures be adjusted as appropriate for the situation, and EAC concurred. Post is working with RSO to mitigate potential vulnerabilities at residential communities and apartment buildings, such as TIJUANA 00000666 002.2 OF 002 deactivating access codes and lock changes. At EAC recommendation, RSO provided information and instructions to Mission residents for safeguarding information when communicating via radio or in requests for assistance to the LGP or other personnel. ¶6. (SBU) Tijuana's EAC will continue to monitor the residential security situation. All members will remain in close contact with their local U.S. and Mexican contacts regarding any new developments in the investigation of the crime incident. For comments or questions, please contact RSO at 011-52-664-622-7464, or -7451. KRAMER