First arsonists target cell towers out west, and now the Houston area of Texas has seen several break-ins at broadcast transmitter sites, cell sites and pager sites. Readers tell us the FBI and its counter terrorism intelligence group representatives, plus sheriff's representatives from Harris and Montgomery Counties, Air Marshals and the Department of Homeland Security attended this week's regional SBE meeting to discuss the break-ins, gather information and offer assistance to engineers.
The break-ins, at reportedly 13 radio and 2 TV stations, have occurred at night on weekends and holidays. Some sites have been hit more than once. According to one reade, the perps "disable all alarms, rip out wires from punch blocks, trip all breakers, disable all stand-by equipment and then take the log book."
Another reader says whoever is breaking in takes the stations off the air and "seems to know their way around an AM station."
Engineers are encouraged not to visit their transmitter sites alone, especially at night, to respond to alarms. Anyone with information about station break-ins is encouraged to contact the Houston FBI at: www.ctighouston.org.
(from Radio World)
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