Pubdate: Sat, 08 Mar 2003
Source: Fayetteville Observer (NC)
Copyright: 2003 Fayetteville Observer
Contact:  http://www.fayettevillenc.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/150
Author: Greg Barnes, Staff writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

THEFT RATTLES HIGHWAY PATROL'S POISE

Breaking into the Highway Patrol's evidence room wasn't hard. The thieves 
just smashed the glass in a door at the back of the building on U.S. 301, 
turned the lock and walked in.

There were no surveillance cameras or burglar alarms to deter them. Nobody 
else was in the building. The outside door didn't have a dead bolt.

Previous

It appeared that someone broke down the wooden door to the evidence room, 
which is just down the hall from the outside door. The break-in was 
discovered Thursday morning.

Lawmen say the thieves made off with 500 pounds of marijuana valued at 
between $500,000 and $600,000.

They left behind an embarrassed Highway Patrol.

Patrol Sgt. Everett Clendenin said the break-in will cause the Highway 
Patrol to improve security at the Fayetteville headquarters. Clendenin said 
the patrol is also "looking at each district statewide to make sure that 
this doesn't happen in another district."

Other Cases Reported

The Fayetteville break-in wasn't a first for the Highway Patrol. In 1999 
and 2000, a theft ring stole guns and drugs from four Highway Patrol 
district evidence lockers in northern North Carolina. Three in Virginia 
were also broken into. Four people were charged in that case.

About the same time, Clendenin said, the Highway Patrol beefed up security 
as part of an effort to meet accreditation standards. Among other 
improvements were heavy steel evidence lockers for each district.

But Clendenin said the large volume of marijuana that was stolen in 
Fayetteville wouldn't fit in the locker. It was left outside, along with 
another piece of evidence that wasn't disturbed during the break-in, he said.

The marijuana came from a state Division of Motor Vehicles seizure during a 
traffic stop on Interstate 95 on Dec. 23.

Clendenin said the Highway Patrol took over the evidence around Feb. 1, 
after the Division of Motor Vehicles merged with the Highway Patrol.

He said the marijuana had been in the patrol's evidence room for about six 
days.

"This has happened in the past and it's unfortunate and we can probably 
offer all kinds of excuses, but we just have to look at all the systems we 
have in place and try to improve on that," Clendenin said.

The State Bureau of Investigation, which is handling the case, reported 
nothing new Friday.

Deterrents Necessary

Joe Latta, an instructor with the International Association for Property 
and Evidence, said evidence rooms should be secured with video cameras, 
burglar alarms, good locks and other theft deterrents.

But Latta said theft from evidence rooms isn't unusual, largely because 
security is often lacking. He said he has a file of about 3,500 newspaper 
stories from around the country detailing thefts from evidence rooms.

"It just never stops," Latta said. "Every day there is something new out 
there."

Latta, a retired police officer, travels around the country teaching law 
enforcement agencies how to police and secure their evidence rooms.

He had been scheduled to teach a course on the subject at the Justice 
Academy in Salemburg in April. The Highway Patrol had not signed up to 
attend, but it may now.

"We are always looking for ways to improve our process and our business, 
and that is something we will take into consideration," Clendenin said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager