Port securityContainer heist unrelated to Port of Los Angeles
Investigators in Los Angeles described the heist of three containers as “terminal robbery” — but the heist had nothing to do with the Port of Los Angeles / Long Beach; the facility where the robbery occurred is located miles inland from the port, is not part of a federally regulated port area, and is not governed by the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) protocol; since stricter port regulations came into effect following the 9/11 attacks, zero containers have been stolen from the Port of Los Angeles
We ran an article yesterday about a heist which appeared to be involving the Port of Los Angeles, saying that for some the heist may have indicated that security at the port needed to be tightened (“Port of L.A. heist raises questions about port security,” 1 December 2010 HSNW). The article contained inaccuracies, which PA1 Adam Eggers, Detachment Supervisor, U.S. Coast Guard, Public Affairs Detachment Los Angeles/Long Beach, brought to our attention.
The transportation facility from which the containers were stolen is not in the Port of Los Angeles. The facility is, in fact, miles inland from the port. This site is a holding area for cargo moving between the port and the cargo’s final destination.
This theft would thus be no different from assailants forcing a truck off the road and stealing the containers at that point.
Since the facility is not located near the port and is not part of the port, it does not fall under the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) protocol and is not a part of federally regulated port areas.
The area where the heist occurred falls under the jurisdiction of a local police department. The security guards at the facility are not the same type of security you would find at a port as they are most likely employees of a private firm (Eggers notes that it is not clear whether or not they were even armed).
Using the phrase “terminal robbery” — the Los Angeles Times quoted investigators to use that term — is inaccurate because the robbery did not actually occur at any port terminal.
Eggers correctly points out that we cannot link the heist t the more general question of security at the Port of Los Angeles / Long Beach. Since stricter port regulations came into effect following the 9/11 attacks, zero containers have been stolen from the Port of Los Angeles.
