 Eyes right ... no-one seemed to notice a former employee allegedly filling his allegedly stolen military vehicle up from the college`s bowsers for three months / Kym Smith |
- Former employee allegedly steals military vehicle
- May have fuelled up at college for three months
- Questions over whether man caught with handgun
A GUN-CARRYING man allegedly stole an army Land Rover and drove it in and out of Duntroon, Australia`s elite defence-officer training academy, for three months without being detected.
The man also allegedly regularly filled the vehicle`s tank from an army fuel bowser and hooked up an army-owned trailer and stole that.
Police are investigating the embarrassing security breach.
Defence Department sources say the man, a New Zealand citizen, worked at Duntroon.
On leaving his job he allegedly stole a 4WD for use on his farm south of Canberra.
But in a move that brings into question the overall security at Australia`s top military college, the man allegedly continued to drive into Duntroon to fill up with petrol during the time he was using the Land Rover and trailer.
According to Defence Department sources, no one noticed the vehicles were missing.
Driver `switched number plates`
They say the driver switched to civilian number plates when using the vehicles on the road and re-fixed military plates to enter Duntroon.
The same sources say that when the man was apprehended last week he was found to be in possession of an unloaded handgun, possibly a Beretta.
This aspect of the claims was contested by the office of Defence Minister Brendan Nelson.
In a week Australian Federal Police were labelled "Keystone Kops" over their farcical efforts to charge terror suspect Mohamed Haneef, the security lapse is an embarrassment for Duntroon.
Following inquiries about the incident, Dr Nelson said: "Whilst this matter is under investigation by the AFP and Defence it would be inappropriate to comment."
A Defence Department spokesman said: "An ex-employee of the defence contractor responsible for the management of defence vehicles at Duntroon has allegedly stolen a Land Rover and trailer from the transport compound at Duntroon.
The official version
"The theft came to light after an observant Australian Defence Force member notified the military police about the unauthorised parking of the vehicle at a Fyshwick (a Canberra suburb) site.
"Examination of the vehicle revealed the military number plates had been replaced with private plates.
"Subsequent to the discovery of the theft all procedures and security measures at the Duntroon transport compound have been reviewed and updated.
"Defence is unaware of any allegation the driver was found with an unlicensed pistol.
"An investigation is being undertaken by the AFP and Defence will not comment until it is complete."
THE Australian Federal Police is privately furious with Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews for his mishandling of the Mohamed Haneef case
PM John Howard says blame for the dropping of terrorism charges against Dr Mohamed Haneef lay with the AFP`s Mick Keelty and the DPP`s Damian Bugg and that the two had some explaining to do
