Secret army unit gets robbed

[EvanL]

Joint Task Force 2 has truck, counter-terrorism gear stolen during stop at store

David Pugliese
The Ottawa Citizen


January 17, 2004





Canada's commandos may have tested their mettle against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, but they appear to be no match for homegrown car thieves.

A Joint Task Force 2 pickup truck containing counter-terrorism gear was stolen last May after personnel from the unit made a quick stop at a store, the military has confirmed.

Although police recovered the Ford S350 pickup two days later, the thieves had made off with two empty gun magazines, a barrel for a pistol, clothing and a computer laptop. Other equipment, which the military refuses to discuss for security reasons, was recovered in the vehicle.

Canadian Forces officials also declined to name the location from where the truck was stolen as that would reveal details about the unit's activities. They would only confirm that the theft took place somewhere in Canada.

Navy Lieut. Kent Penney said investigators were able to determine that the stolen laptop did not contain information that would compromise national security. But the thieves might have realized the gear inside the truck was the property of the commando team.

"The items in the vehicle could be attributed to the unit," said Lieut. Penney, a spokesman for the military's Counter-terrorism and Special Operations branch. "Certain clothing items would have been attributed to the unit itself."

Asked whether the thieves would be able to determine the identities of members of the unit, he replied: "We don't know that."

JTF2 is considered one of the most secret organizations in the Canadian Forces. The military acknowledges that the special operations unit exists and is based in Ottawa, but releases few other details. JTF2 has gone on missions in Afghanistan, Nepal, and the former Yugoslavia, among other countries.

In Canada, it has conducted training missions in many large Canadian cities and has been on hand at major international events such as the G8 summit meeting in Alberta in 2002.

Lieut. Penney said in the unit's 10-year history this is the first time one of its vehicles has been stolen. The JTF2 members who were operating the truck faced administrative action and were required to partly pay for the missing gear. The JTF2 members, who are from the unit's support branch, had locked the truck before going into the store.

No arrests have been made in the case. But Lieut. Penney said as a result of the incident the unit reviewed its security policies, in particular those relating to vehicles, and has made some changes. At the time of the theft no ammunition, explosives or complete weapons were in the truck, he added.

According to police, young people, mostly looking to go joy riding, are behind four out of 10 vehicle thefts.

It's not the first time, however, that criminals have made off with counter-terrorism gear. In 1987, thieves stole pistols, submachine-guns, hand grenades, uniforms and an identity card from three marked RCMP trucks

in the north end of Montreal. Also taken was a counter-terrorism manual. The RCMP tactical officers were in Montreal on a training mission at the time.

The theft wasn't the only vehicle incident involving JTF2 members last year. In June, a JTF2 pickup truck was driving down a steep hill when the driver swerved to avoid a small animal. The truck rolled into a ditch and JTF2 personnel inside the vehicle suffered minor injuries. The military did not identify where the accident took place because of security reasons.

[NcDeuce]

Someone is in for a :bash:

[memphiz]

Damn theives :fork:

It's not the first time, however, that criminals have made off with counter-terrorism gear. In 1987, thieves stole pistols, submachine-guns, hand grenades, uniforms and an identity card from three marked RCMP trucks
um.. why would the RCMP have hand grenades?

[Whistler]

Oh thats just great.

Well at least Jean Chretien is gone, he probably would have disbanded the whole unit over it :bash: .

I remember a similar thing happened a while ago in the US when an FBI SWAT team had a truck full of equipment and weapons stolen from in front of their motel room.

How does this crap happen?

[EvanL]

Damn theives :fork:

It's not the first time, however, that criminals have made off with counter-terrorism gear. In 1987, thieves stole pistols, submachine-guns, hand grenades, uniforms and an identity card from three marked RCMP trucks
um.. why would the RCMP have hand grenades?
Because like the guy in your avatar, they perform more duties than normal police. They are Canadas equivalent to the FBI. And have swat teams included (your pic). They are called SERT teams, and were the predeccessors to JTF2.

[memphiz]

Damn theives :fork:

It's not the first time, however, that criminals have made off with counter-terrorism gear. In 1987, thieves stole pistols, submachine-guns, hand grenades, uniforms and an identity card from three marked RCMP trucks
um.. why would the RCMP have hand grenades?
Because like the guy in your avatar, they perform more duties than normal police. They are Canadas equivalent to the FBI. And have swat teams included (your pic). They are called SERT teams, and were the predeccessors to JTF2.
well I knew all that, i meant why would they be driving around with hand grenades in their truck, when the could've been left at the station for when there was an emergency?

-unless it happend during an op

[Uncle Sam]

I better go check eBay...Whee hee

[EvanL]

Damn theives :fork:

It's not the first time, however, that criminals have made off with counter-terrorism gear. In 1987, thieves stole pistols, submachine-guns, hand grenades, uniforms and an identity card from three marked RCMP trucks
um.. why would the RCMP have hand grenades?
Because like the guy in your avatar, they perform more duties than normal police. They are Canadas equivalent to the FBI. And have swat teams included (your pic). They are called SERT teams, and were the predeccessors to JTF2.
well I knew all that, i meant why would they be driving around with hand grenades in their truck, when the could've been left at the station for when there was an emergency?

-unless it happend during an op
I dont know, but when i was younger a kid in my neighbourhood had this elastic gun that he spot pellets with, damn thing could kill u if it hit you, and he was standing on top of a building and was shooting cars passing by, and he shot an RCMP unmarked Van. The van stopped got out had him come down and they drove him home in it. It was actually a SERT van, and was filled with weapons and equiptment. He apparently sat on a case full of guns while he was being driven home.

[memphiz]

Damn theives :fork:

It's not the first time, however, that criminals have made off with counter-terrorism gear. In 1987, thieves stole pistols, submachine-guns, hand grenades, uniforms and an identity card from three marked RCMP trucks
um.. why would the RCMP have hand grenades?
Because like the guy in your avatar, they perform more duties than normal police. They are Canadas equivalent to the FBI. And have swat teams included (your pic). They are called SERT teams, and were the predeccessors to JTF2.
well I knew all that, i meant why would they be driving around with hand grenades in their truck, when the could've been left at the station for when there was an emergency?

-unless it happend during an op
I dont know, but when i was younger a kid in my neighbourhood had this elastic gun that he spot pellets with, damn thing could kill u if it hit you, and he was standing on top of a building and was shooting cars passing by, and he shot an RCMP unmarked Van. The van stopped got out had him come down and they drove him home in it. It was actually a SERT van, and was filled with weapons and equiptment. He apparently sat on a case full of guns while he was being driven home.
thats pretty sweet *buys elastic gun and sits on roof, waits for police*

[budanski]

With Canada's defense budget, I wouldn't be surprised if it was from another unit/reservists. ;)

Anyone hear from Douchebag19 ? <-- hint, hint.

[ArmedPacifist]

With Canada's defense budget, I wouldn't be surprised if it was from another unit/reservists. ;)


I have no idea what you are talking about......Why would you spout such nonsense?

*shifty eyes*

[budanski]

With Canada's defense budget, I wouldn't be surprised if it was from another unit/reservists. ;)


I have no idea what you are talking about......Why would you spout such nonsense?

*shifty eyes*

Um, last checked, Canada's military wasnt looking too hot.
Why else would you have polled here (http://www.canada.com/search/story.aspx?id=a58068b3-3d03-4bd9-bd1f-e3f8b9e5ab8b) and here (http://www.canada.com/search/story.aspx?id=77b75dd2-5800-4399-8a63-79439805118a), if it wasnt a problem.


Canada: rehabilitating our military

National Post (http://www.nationalpost.com/commentary/story.html?id=E8905ACD-EC63-4C63-99CE-245D37DB2B30)
For years, our Liberal government has sat on its hands as the federal Auditor-General, the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence, the Conference of Defence Associations, Jane's Defence Weekly and the Council for Canadian Security in the 21st Century have all warned that our desperately underfunded military is headed toward irrelevance. This week, a new report came out with a similarly bleak message. But is anyone in Ottawa listening?

In Canada Without Armed Forces?, Queen's University professor Douglas Bland and his co-authors warn that in every category -- equipment, personnel and logistical support -- the Canadian Forces are suffering from underfunding and policy neglect. If a massive infusion of cash does not come soon, they warn, several branches of the military may disappear entirely, and we will be headed "for a long period when [our] governments will be without effective military resources, even for domestic defence and territorial surveillance."

The basic problem can be summarized in a single number: 1.1%. That is the percentage of our gross domestic product we spend on our military, down from double that two decades ago and now one of the lowest rates of any developed nation on Earth. Because its budgets are insufficient to properly fund ongoing operations in Central Asia, the Balkans and elsewhere, our military has had to effectively cannibalize its capital budget to keep soldiers fed, clothed and combat-ready in messy, logistically complex Third World environments. Even with such budgetary tricks, the military is still in the red: When the final cost of Afghan operations is added to 2003/2004 expenditures, the total shortfall in our military's operations budget will likely be as much as $2-billion.

As a general rule, most planners estimate that about 23% of defence spending should be directed to capital improvements -- that is, the acquisition and modernization of weapon and transport systems. In Canada, that figure has now sunk to a mere 11.5%. As a result, since spending was first ratcheted down in 1989, our military bases have gradually been turned into museums of wars past. Our 40-year-old fleet of CC-130 Hercules transport aircraft and Sea King helicopters are a particular embarrassment. In coming years, trucks, self-propelled howitzers and destroyers will need replacing as well.

By Mr. Bland's analysis, it will cost $24-billion over the next five years to properly equip our forces -- $15-billion more than will be available under current budget projections. All in all, as part of his plan to modernize the Canadian Armed Forces and bring staffing levels up from 60,000 to 85,000, Mr. Bland recommends the annual budget be increased from the current level of $13.5-billion to at least $18.5-billion -- or about 1.5% of our GDP.

Does that sound extravagant? It doesn't if you compare Canada to other NATO members, which spend an average of about 2% of GDP on their militaries. Australia, which is similarly situated to Canada in terms of wealth and political orientation, recently approved a $47-billion program to fund equipment acquisitions over the next decade. Canada is increasingly becoming distinguished among wealthy nations by the toothless state of its Armed Forces.

The reaction of Defence Minister John McCallum to Canada Without Armed Forces? was not encouraging. "I find it difficult to square these [****ouncements] of doom and gloom with the actual achievements we've had in recent years," he said yesterday. Fortunately, Mr. McCallum will likely be out of his job in a week, when Paul Martin takes over as prime minister.

Indeed, we learned yesterday that Mr. Martin met with Mr. Bland on Wednesday to discuss his report. That is good news. Mr. Martin has already indicated he will increase support for the military once he takes power. The shocking analysis contained in Canada Without Armed Forces?, we hope and expect, will only increase his resolve. Under Jean Chrétien, our military has been left to rust. Mr. Martin must begin the long and expensive process of rehabilitation as soon as possible.

something wrong with your eye?

[ArmedPacifist]

With Canada's defense budget, I wouldn't be surprised if it was from another unit/reservists. ;)


I have no idea what you are talking about......Why would you spout such nonsense?

*shifty eyes*

Um, last checked, Canada's military wasnt looking too hot.
Why else would you have polled [
something wrong with your eye?

Maybe this will help you get a clue as to what I was joking about


With Canada's defense budget, I wouldn't be surprised if it was from another unit/reservists.

[budanski]

Well then, jokes on me.

:oops:

[ArmedPacifist]

Well then, jokes on me.

:oops:

I've owned myself once or twice aswell, as long as you got the joke in the end consider it a victory.

[budanski]

ArmedPacifist=1 Budanski=0

how 'bout a match at thumb-wrestling?

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

Wow I bet those JTF-2 guys aint feeling so elite when they realise there stuff got stolen rofl
Maybe they should put in a alarm or something

[anonymous individual]

This is so sad for the CAF.

[Double Tap]

http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/features/onlineextras/story.html?id=d32bbae2-05c8-480a-8384-4c24339c3a2c

can anyone get access to this article since they make people register :bash:

[Gauntlet]

Clever thieves

*trying to control self from laughing at Canadians*

[memphiz]

http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/features/onlineextras/story.html?id=d32bbae2-05c8-480a-8384-4c24339c3a2c

can anyone get access to this article since they make people register :bash:
i googled the guys book and got this site
http://www.geocities.com/deltaforcearea28/new_page_2.htm

[earl]

Joint Task Force 2 has truck, counter-terrorism gear stolen during stop at store

A Joint Task Force 2 pickup truck containing counter-terrorism gear was stolen last May after personnel from the unit made a quick stop at a store, the military has confirmed.


I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that it was a Tim Hortons. I've run into ERT teams on their way to training at my local Tim's.

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

Tim Hortons rofl thats good **** I can so see it.