Remember this story from this past June?
Thieves break into Tacoma INS office
Dicks says it is 'absolutely' a serious security breach
Tuesday, June 4, 2002
By CHRIS McGANN SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
A weekend break-in at the Tacoma office of the Immigration and Naturalization Service not only breached agency security, it also left several important items in unknown hands.
Stolen were a .40-caliber pistol and two clips of ammunition; at least five INS stamps, including an admission stamp and another that allows refugees to enter the United States to apply for resident alien status; an INS badge; a laptop computer; and an assortment of official forms.
That's a big problem, said Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., when you consider the tremendous harm inflicted on the United States by people who entered and stayed here using false documents.
"In this era, we have to treat this kind of thing very seriously," Dicks said.
"It's not just a local burglary but something that could have serious implications on national security," said Dicks, who served eight years on the House Intelligence Committee. "I think it could be very useful to somebody in a terrorist group."
Agency spokesman Garrison Courtney said the agency has procedures to minimize the risk.
"It sounds a lot more serious than it is," Courtney said. "Everything that was stolen, besides the gun, we at least have control over and can minimize the damage. The fact that we were burglarized is the main concern."
The stamps were invalidated as soon as agency officials found out about the break-in, so any documents marked with them would be easily identifiable, he said.
"A stamp to us means next to nothing," Courtney said. "We look at many other things to draw the conclusion that the person is allowed to be in the United States."
The badge is next to worthless because INS officials must also carry credentials, Courtney said.
And it is against agency policy to save important information on laptop computers.
"Anything we do on computers we do through a secure line and don't store it on the hard drives," Courtney said.
Burglars hit the office between 1 p.m. Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday, said Jim Mattheis of the Tacoma police, which is leading the investigation. Police investigators said there were no signs of forced entry, but a locked cabinet were the items were stored was forcibly opened.
The INS has not ruled out the possibility that someone with access to the office was responsible for the theft, Courtney said.
The Tacoma police forensic unit examined the scene for fingerprints, Mattheis said. But so far investigators have no suspects or reason to believe it was more than a routine break-in.
"We're investigating it as a burglary, Mattheis said. "The (Federal Bureau of Investigation) has been notified and they will be kept up-to-date on what we find out."
Charles Mandigo, special agent in charge of the Seattle FBI office, said the agency has no reason to think otherwise.
"If there is any indication that there is a link to terrorism -- we would certainly aggressively pursue it," Mandigo said.
"To date, the FBI is not aware of such a connection."
Dicks last night vowed to get to bottom of the break that he asserted was "absolutely" a serious security breach.
"We are going to talk to INS officials in Seattle and Washington D.C. and tell them that security should be enhanced at the Tacoma offices immediately," said Dicks, adding he thinks the agency "should check all their offices."