Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TIJUANA666
2009-06-23 23:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Tijuana
Cable title:  

EAC AMCONSULATE TIJUANA - EAC CONVENED TO DISCUSS LOCAL

Tags:  ASEC CASC PINS PTER MX 
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VZCZCXRO7302
PP RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS
DE RUEHTM #0666/01 1742324
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 232324Z JUN 09
FM AMCONSUL TIJUANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8928
INFO RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO PRIORITY 5881
RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RUEHTM/AMCONSUL TIJUANA 1695
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


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