9,000 cellphones stolen from Deerfield warehouse

[power2pc]

http://www.miamiherald.com/884/story/93337.html


Local businessman Daniel Kaufman thought his stock of cellular phones was as safe as possible in his Deerfield Beach warehouse.

He hired a 24-hour security firm, run by a former Broward sheriff, and installed digital surveillance cameras and a hyper-sensitive alarm system to protect his business, Reagan Wireless, in the 3300 block of Southwest 15th Street.

With all those precautions, Kaufman was stunned Monday to discover missing cellphones with a retail value of $1.5 million.

He said he found the Navarro Security guard on duty Monday morning sleeping in his car.

Kaufman estimates the robbers pilfered about 9,000 cellphones, using a forklift inside the warehouse and carrying the boxes out one by one through a thre-foot-by-three-foot hole they cut through a metal bay door at the rear of the building. The heist must have taken at least four hours, Kaufman said.

FIRST ALARM

After reviewing the collected video and audio, Kaufman said he noticed that a security guard left 45 minutes early around 5:15 p.m. He said the guard wasn't on the premises when the first alarm went off, but the guard reported to Navarro Security that everything was fine.

Kaufman said he fired Navarro Security, which he said he paid more than $100,000 a year, on Monday. The Fort Lauderdale-based firm is led by former Broward Sheriff Nick Navarro, who insists that his guards did their jobs.

''Nothing appeared to be out of the normal,'' Navarro said.

''There is no bathroom in the facility that the officers can go to,'' Navarro said. ``When the officer left, he went to go to the bathroom. He did not abandon his post.''

The next guard, whose shift began at 6 p.m., spent nearly 15 minutes washing his car while the warehouse was being robbed, Kaufman said. Navarro said the guard rinsed his car before his 6 p.m. shift began.

According to a Broward Sheriff's Office report, the alarm company reported the alarm went off three times in a 40-minute period. When the alarm company contacted Navarro Security, they were told everything was fine. BSO was not called.

BSO is investigating.

''Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing and they knew exactly what they wanted to take,'' said BSO spokesman Hugh Graf.

$50,000 REWARD

Navarro said his firm provided security for Kaufman's business for nearly six years. He said once BSO is finished with its investigation, he will conduct one of his own.

Kaufman is offering a $50,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of the robbers. Anyone with information about the crime is encouraged to call Broward CrimeStoppers at 954-493-TIPS.

[davis002]

He screwed up in a bad way. If they were allowed to leave to use the bathroom... then ok. But to stop and wash your car as well? thats bad. I'm sure Nathan will chime in about the whole Florida abdonment of post law. Something tells me this is headed for a courtroom.

Here is the damaging image that shows him washing his car.

[CorpSec]

Ouch! That doesn't look good for the troops at that security outfit. I remember that sheriff from old episodes of COPS. Leaving the post to go to the bathroom? Washing your POV? Disregarding 3 alarms? All not good.

The ex sheriff said nothing appeared out of the ordinary. How about the guys with the forklift carting stuff out the hole in the side of the warehouse?

Wow, he will most likely get sued.

[N. A. Corbier]

The moment you step onto the sidewalk, you have abandoned your post unless the contract specifically authorizes it. (This can include an addendum, called Post Orders, but must be spelled out like any other contractual law issue.)

This is the worst case scenerio, possible criminal negligence charges against the guard, and those will be used by DOACS in their administrative law case against Navarro's company license as well as the guard's D license.

When something like this makes the media, DOACS has no choice but to start their own investigation pursuant to FSS 493, which can result in criminal charges of fraud (under 493, in addition to other statutes), as well as start fining people thousands of dollars.

For Navarro to say that the guard did nothing wrong, when it was shown he was off property doing personal activities, may factor into any DOACS investigation.

Also, "going to the bathroom" is not sufficient grounds for leaving your post under FSS 493. The "fraud" statute, which abandoning your post is part of, makes no mention of why you can. If the client doesn't authorize it, you cannot stop providing services.

Just his being asleep is abandoning post, as well, as he can't perform services (fraud under 493) if he's not awake and observing.

[Bill Warnock]

Boys and girls, this one stinks to high heaven. This smells of inside collaboration or collusion with the security guard or guards. You would have thought that after three and not a fourth alarm annunciation, some responsible person from the alarm company would have called the owner and advised the owner of their suspicions.
Four hours is a long time to not have heard or seen anything. This just flat stinks!
All a good investigator needs is just one loose thread.
Folks, am I unduly suspicious?
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[acrand]

Boys and girls, this one stinks to high heaven. This smells of inside collaboration or collusion with the security guard or guards. You would have thought that after three and not a fourth alarm annunciation, some responsible person from the alarm company would have called the owner and advised the owner of their suspicions.
Four hours is a long time to not have heard or seen anything. This just flat stinks!
All a good investigator needs is just one loose thread.
Folks, am I unduly suspicious?
Enjoy the day,
Bill

No, you are not unduly suspicious. I agree with you completely on this. How can that many alarms come in and the Officers not conduct at the very least, and exterior check. It just stinks. Definately some misconduct going on within the Security Staff. In addition, if you watch the interview with the Security Company owner, It appears he is not even interested in looking into this.

[N. A. Corbier]

After viewing the CBS4 video, I don't think this is collusion. I think this is yet another simple case of warm body security. First Guard leaves early. Second Guard arrives, does not find it odd that the first guard is gone! Second Guard begins doing the things that bored security guards in Florida do when their job is to make one tour an hour and sit on their ass the other 50 minutes. Reading, washing his car, etc.

This is typical of the services provided and expected in Florida. Griff will back me up on this. The idea of continuous patrols is strange and unexpected to the average security guard in Florida, because they are told to make a "patrol" every hour or half hour, then "maintain a visible presence at the front entrance" for the rest of the time.

Keep in mind that the folks in this video, most likely, are making 6-7 an hour for this, and the car in the video was for mobile patrol, not their use.

[Bill Warnock]

Nathan, Nick must have fallen on hard times because he had many retired deputies from not only his former department, but FHP, and retired military police and Air Force Security Police working for him.
At a couple of federal high threat trials, some of his deputies backed up CSOs and Deputy USMS'. He seemed like a hard charger.
I know of drug money corrupting many county sheriffs to be on the other side of the county with a shipment came in. I just wonder where those 9K cell phones are going to wind up?
Nathan, when your contact finds out what the real skinny is please let us know unless it is sensitive information.
I just think some of Nick's guys got turned. I won't be the first time you have disabused me of a long held cherished idea, for which I and other forum members are eterally grateful.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[N. A. Corbier]

Keep in mind, Bill, that most of the "good" officers in companies that have many former deputies, etc... are usually not used on static, unarmed, sit in your car and watch a warehouse post.

This account, honestly, could of been used as a dumping site. Its low risk (a warehouse?), low brain power (guard the front gate, walk around a bit, etc...), and unarmed.

Perfect place to dump idiots till you find their replacements.

[OccamsRazor]

Perfect place to dump idiots till you find their replacements.

You sound like my boss.

Wait...

[CorpSec]

Bill, I agree that collusion was an idea that jumped into my head right away. Even with the bare minimum, an hourly drive around the perimeter, they would have been caught. Heck, even if the guard wasn't normally ambitious enough to even drive around once an hour or so, you think the three alarms might have piqued his interest?

But, as sad as it is, what Nathan says also holds merit. I know I have worked at companies that had officer of such a low quality that something like this could have gone on without their catching it.

In a past job, an officer showed up for work in his usual state (drunk) and took command of a post. He promptly fell asleep or passed out and missed all the alarm notifications showing up on his screen. Meanwhile, the place the alarms were coming from was getting relieved of their inventory.

[Bill Warnock]

Bill, I agree that collusion was an idea that jumped into my head right away. Even with the bare minimum, an hourly drive around the perimeter, they would have been caught. Heck, even if the guard wasn't normally ambitious enough to even drive around once an hour or so, you think the three alarms might have piqued his interest?

But, as sad as it is, what Nathan says also holds merit. I know I have worked at companies that had officer of such a low quality that something like this could have gone on without their catching it.

In a past job, an officer showed up for work in his usual state (drunk) and took command of a post. He promptly fell asleep or passed out and missed all the alarm notifications showing up on his screen. Meanwhile, the place the alarms were coming from was getting relieved of their inventory.

In April 1956 I went through basic training at Lackland AFB, TX. While going through our 10 security instructions, a very old former Gunny Sergeant, then a USAF Master Sergeant, told me and several other trainees who were reared in a military environment, "security is like sex, all of it good, somes better than others and every now an egan you'll find somes so horrible it stinks even with a po smeller. Y'all try not to be part of the lassen." I hope I did justice to his twang, but folks, truer words were never uttered.
CorpSec, we have just found the "lassen," your tale and this one.
Enjoy the day,
Bill