FBI offering $10,000 reward after $120k ‘combat ready’ military Humvee is STOLEN in California
THE FBI is offering a $10,000 reward after a $120,000 “combat ready” military Humvee was stolen in California.
The armored vehicle was swiped from a National Guard facility in a Los Angeles suburb days before Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Its announcement of the theft caused alarm on Twitter, with one person saying, “this is terrifying”.
The FBI warned that stealing from a military facility carries a statutory maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison.
The green camouflage vehicle was described as having four doors, and the bumper number 40BSBHQ6.
The Humvee’s administrative number is WV57TO-HQ06/M1165A1, while the registration number is NZ311R.
Its battalion number, 40TH BSB, can also be seen across the vehicle, the FBI said.
A reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the retrieval of the stolen vehicle is being offered.
Its announcement comes after the Humvee, which the FBI said is worth about $120,000, was stolen Friday morning from the National Guard Armory in Bell, the agency said.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the vehicle or those who stole it can call the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office on (310) 477-6565.
There was concern from people on Twitter about the surprise theft from a National Guard facility.
After seeing the FBI LA’s post, Arielle Phoenix replied: “Wth? Kinda big to make off with! Hope that is gotten back quickly. Not a good sign!”
Martin Cruz bluntly asked: “How the f*** do you lose track of a military truck?”
To which James Woods replied: “It’s camouflaged, once it left base it basically became a stealth truck.”
Another person pointed out: “Any other time in history this might be mildly amusing. Currently, it’s deeply unsettling.
The worrying theft comes as the FBI warns of armed violence across the US over Biden’s inauguration.
It is braced for “extensive” protests when the new president is sworn-in on January 20, despite the US Capitol being turned into a virtual fortress.
Law enforcement officials have been beefing up security never seen for generations for pro-Donald Trump protests at state capitol buildings.
Worried officials have been battening down statehouses across the country on Sunday.
The widespread defense action is in anticipation of potentially violent protests by Trump fanatics who believe his baseless claim that electoral fraud robbed the president of a second term.
Right-wing extremists have been emboldened by the deadly attack on the US Capitol in Washington on January 6, say experts and political commentators.
“Following the siege at our nation’s capitol and reports on threats to state capitals, I’m bringing all resources to bear to protect our residents and democratic process,” Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker wrote on Twitter.
He added that he was activating the state police and national guard to protect the state’s capital, Springfield.
Several hundred law enforcement officers and National Guard troops could today be seen protecting Georgia’s state house in Atlanta.
Chain-link fences and cement barriers protected the Capitol grounds and multiple armored vehicles were stationed nearby.
In Lansing, Michigan, crews were setting up barricades, blocking off streets around the capitol building as snow flurries fell.
Office buildings around the capitol had boarded up their windows.
The FBI and other federal agencies have warned of potential future violence leading up to Wednesday’s inauguration.
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White supremacists and other extremists are looking to exploit frustration among Trump supporters.
But some militias and extremist groups have urged followers to stay home.
Bob Gardner, leader of the Pennsylvania Lightfoot Militia, said: “We’ve got our own communities to worry about – we don’t get involved in politics.”