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 
 
 
¶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