Public Intelligence

Over the last week, approximately 10 Energy Sector substations in the Marshall and Battle Creek area have been the victims of copper theft. Because the current street value for scrap copper is over $4.00 per pound, electric substations have become lucrative targets. The targeting of substations for copper has been an issue for over a year. The recent thefts from substations in the greater Flint area caused significant power outages to the area and safety issues for first responders. The suspects are stealing the grounding system conductors and other wires stored at the substation at night. This is accomplished by digging up sections of the grounding system conductors and cutting it off from the power units. The process is time-consuming and requires the suspects to go inside the substation perimeter fence. A few sites have experienced repeated offenses of copper theft.

Restaurants in multiple states, including Michigan, are reporting phone calls from individuals claiming to be from the Health Department. Throughout Michigan, the scammers are requesting to schedule an inspection at the food establishment, as well as sensitive information about the business. According to the Better Business Bureau, this was a widespread occurrence in Minnesota and North Dakota in 2010.

An athletic facility reported an illegal entry incident during a sporting event on 9, October 2010. The subject arrived at the facility in a military Humvee, wearing a full military formal dress uniform, just prior to the start of the event. The subject advised event security personnel that he was there as part of the game day military Honor Guard, and requested to park the Humvee in the secured parking area reserved for police vehicles. The individual was allowed access at several points and subsequently parked the Humvee in the secured lot. The individual exited the vehicle and retrieved two military M-16 rifles with bayonets from the Humvee.

Events leading up to the shooting death of a 7-year-old girl at the hands of a Detroit officer may have been videotaped by a crime-reality series camera crew that was with police as they searched a family home for a homicide suspect. What’s on the video could reveal if Aiyana Jones was fatally shot by an officer whose gun mistakenly discharged inside the house, as police say, or if claims of a “cover up” by an attorney for Aiyana’s family are true.

2009 H1N1 Influenza

As of October 2, 2009:
–World Health Organization (WHO) regions have reported over 343,298 laboratory-confirmed cases
–At least 4,108 deaths
–The laboratory-confirmed cases represent a substantial underestimation of total cases