I'm starting the bidding off at 5 dollars. NO RESERVE!
Posted on 04/10/2008 3:50:57 PM PDT by maquiladora
WASHINGTON (AP) — Stolen and sensitive U.S. military equipment, including fighter jet parts wanted by Iran and nuclear biological protective gear, has been available to the highest bidder on popular Internet sales sites, according to congressional investigators.
Using undercover identities, investigators purchased a dozen defense-related items on the auction site eBay and the online network Craigslist from January 2007 through last month and received the items "no questions asked."
The Defense Department regards much of the stolen equipment to be on the U.S. Munitions List, meaning there are restrictions on their overseas sales, the Government Accountability Office said Thursday.
The equipment could land in international brokers' hands or be transferred overseas, said the GAO, Congress' investigative arm.
"Many of the sensitive items we purchased could have been used directly against our troops and allies, or reverse engineered to develop counter measures or equivalent technologies," investigators said in their report.
Among the items purchased include two components from F-14 fighter jets, bought from separate buyers on eBay. The warplanes, now retired by the military, could easily be purchased and transferred to the Iranian military, which is seeking its components, the report said. Investigators couldn't determine where the sellers had obtained the F-14 parts.
They also purchased from a Craigslist seller a used Nuclear Biological Chemical protective suit, other protective accessories as well as an unused chemical-biological canister, which contained the mask filter used to guard against warfare agents. The property was likely stolen from the Defense Department, the report said.
Investigators also purchased military stolen goods that were sold for personal profit. The Defense Department regards sale of certain items issued to military personnel, such as body armor, theft of government property, the report said.
"Although not all of the stolen property items available on eBay and Craigslist were sensitive, each item was purchased with taxpayer money and represents a waste of resources," investigators said.
The Army recognizes that the U.S. military has had "property accountability and visibility challenges," said Sarah H. Finnicum, director of supply at the Office of Deputy Chief of Staff for the Army, in testimony to a House subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs.
To correct the problem, the Army started a program in 2006 to account for all of its inventories. To date the Army has accounted for more than 20,000 items worth more than $135 million, she said.
Rep. John Tierney, D-Mass., chairman of the subcommittee, said he was startled by the fact "that it took the Army and DoD six years to get the system in place that probably should have been in place by 2001."
Looter guy at again LOL!
No nuclear warheads?
Not here...that would be on RuskiE-bay.
Sez’s you...........:o)
If any of this military stuff has the image of Christ or the BVM on it, the price doubles on eBay. I’ve seen this happen with ordinary grilled cheese sandwiches and tortillas.
FAA, credit cards, EBay.....a new Gubmint scandal every day. When they take over health care, maybe we’ll have Scandal of the Hour.
I found a military PLGR GPS receiver on EBay once. At the time they were closely protected since they were capable of using the more-accurate positioning signals that civilian units couldn’t. I notified my co-worker at a Navy lab who had just gone thru hell to get a PLGR through official channels, and he was aghast. He notified the local FBI office. Being the crack investigative agency they are, an agent called the seller on the phone and demanded to know where he had gotten it. By rotten luck, the seller said it had been stolen only minutes before and he no longer had it. As far as I know, that was the end of the investigation. I sleep sounder at night knowing these guys are on the job.
Careful, investigators; did the instructions on ebay say “The items are stored at the ebay warehouse in San Jose; but I (seller) am temporarily out of the country in the UK. So send your money to me via Western Union to this address in London, and the items will be delivered to your door free of charge.”
If you follow those instructions, some Nigerian will get your money and you’ll get nothing. Just saying.
Sounds like some agency trying to create a class of criminals. Surplus NBC gear is common. It took me 5 seconds to pull up surplus NBC gear at “Cheaper than Dirt”. Its not a terrorist threat item either. That stuff is common throughout the middle east.
This is obviously about more than $10 gasmasks. Expect to see surplus firearms like 1911’s & Garands seized next.
ROTFLMAO
Don’t go anywhwere near Ranger Joe’s or any other ‘surplus’ outfit by a large miliraty installation.
Half the stuff they complain about is sold at DRMO auctions....
Patton - funniest thing you saw purchased at a DRMO auction?
Bud of mine bid on and got a pallet load of ‘empty’ hip-top tool boxes. Thought it was good deal until he tried to move them.
He got them all moved finally - after pulling out thousands of $ worth of hand tools, machinists tools and precision measurement equipment.
He made a couple of bucs on that haul.... all legal.
I'm starting the bidding off at 5 dollars. NO RESERVE!
What is DRMO?
And a used NBC suit is a liability, not an asset.
Think about it.
LOLOLOL
Ooops
Now DRMS
DRMS (Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service)
see what is for sale in your area
http://www.drms.dla.mil/
YS, the last thing I want is a used NBC poopy suit...
Crud - the government would screw up a wet dream. That website is a nightmare.
LOL! They even have a surplus auction site in Bagram Afganistan!
LOL
We know a guy out in the Valley that has a Ferrett(sp?) armored car
He usees it to carry his machine guns to the range...
A lot more money than me.....
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