BOLO [Reward]: Stolen Plate Carrier, Ammo, FAKs (Houston)

Today I present a request (and cautionary tale) to the internets on behalf of a friend.  For those of you in the Houston area please Be On the Look Out (BOLO) for a plate carrier and kit that was stolen from my buddy’s car about two weeks ago on April 23rd, 2013.  [He only recently told me.]  I realize that the recovery of it an extreme long shot but I wanted to do something to help and maybe something positive will come of it.

Here’s the list of gear taken:

• Tactical Assault Gear Banshee rifle plate carrier (Multicam)
• RMA Supply Level III ceramic armor plate (large; 10” x 12”)
• Condor Triple Kangaroo mag shingle (Multicam)
• (6) Magpul Maglevel P-mags (FDE) each with Original Magpul (FDE)
• (3) Glock-brand G19 15 rd magazines

Ammo:

• 180 rounds of 5.56x45mm Federal 62 gr Green Tip Penetrator (loaded in P-mags; 6 x 30)
• (10) 20 boxes of 5.56x45mm Federal American Eagle
• (3) 50 rd boxes of Winchester ‘white box’ .45 ACP
• (5) 20 rd boxes of Remington .22-250
• (3) 50 rd boxes of CCI Blazer 9mm

Medical:

• (1) Chinook Medic Kit (TMK-KE) Multicam – completely stocked
• (1) Chinook Individual Operator Kit (TMK-IO) Multicam – completely stocked
• Additional Celox gauze, packs and injector

All of this was in his car but not visible from the outside; the car was parked on the street near his residence in the Midtown/Museum District of Houston, Texas.  The items were actually in a cardboard box with clothes piled on top of it.  There were no overt signs of forced entry (no broken windows) and the car was locked prior to the theft.  The police believe specialized tools (slim jim?) were used to gain entry.  The car is not a luxury model, it does not have any expensive mods or options and is as mundane as any other.  It does did have a single sticker on the back, though.  A basic NRA membership sticker.

The thieves realizing their windfall, returned about 1 week later and gained entry to his wife’s car hoping for another score.

Hindsight being what it is, the take-away of this tale is to Respect the Gray.

1. Don’t Advertise – even a small identifier such as a sticker can mark you for theft or attack.
2. Secure your kit – concealment is not enough; car locks are not secure.

I’ve been thinking of ways to secure gear in a car and if you choose to store it there, my recommendation would be a Pelican or similar rugged case to contain the gear.  Preferable the case should be in the trunk (if your car has one) locked with Abloy padlocks and tethered with hardened steel security chain to an anchor attached to the frame.  Some vehicles with removable seats have convenient anchors already.

I can’t offer much but I am personally offering a reward of (2) bricks [1000 rounds] of precious .22 long rifle ammunition* for information leading to the return of the above items; If you can help please send an email to Projectilist AT Gmail

Thank you.

(*and the satisfaction and peace of mind of having helped your fellow man)

NRA Annual Meetings 2013: Send Me Your LiveBlog Requests

I will be attending multiple days of the NRA Annual Meetings in Houston, Texas (May 3-5th, 2013) and am offering to post pictures, Q&A answers, mini-reviews, etc. for my readers.  The Annual Meetings convention is like an ‘Everyman’s S.H.O.T. Show’ with hundreds of manufacturers displaying their products.  If you want a particular product picture, want a nebulous description of what it feels like in the hand or just want to know what Roy Jinks favorite ice cream flavor is let me know.  Just leave your request in the comments to this post and I will try my best to respond to as many as I can each day.

Live Action Zombie Kill in Houston June 26-27 2010

I just found out about this: Houston Zombie Apocalypse 2010

Yeaaahhhhhh, Baaaaaabbbyyy! (Groovy)

A more detailed description of the event can be found at ZombieWalkHouston‘s events page. Here’s an excerpt:

Participants will be assigned to an insurgent team led by military personnel, former or active, or police officer. Each team will receive it’s instructions and objectives and then sent out into the playing field. Each match will last approximately 1 hour. Tyvek containment suits will be issued to each shooter prior to the match and they will be allowed to keep the suits at the end of the game.

The shooters will have objectives to complete in a simulated city over run with the zombies. They will have air soft guns with ink on the bullets so if they fail to shoot you in the head then they are still game to add to our horde. Each zombie’s task will be to “bite” (just touching them) the shooters and make as many of them part of the undead horde before they reach their objectives… the event goes on all day on both days so feel free to join us!!

This event will be held several times a year as a spring soft event. Kill shots are head shots. Tagged players by zombies BECOME zombies!!

Halloween season this event will become an all ages laser tag event in Houston and other cities across the country.

The event takes place this weekend: June 26 – 27th from Noon-Midnight at the Meridian, 1503 Chartres, Houston, TX

Tickets for this event to be shooters are $30 each.

($5 donation requested to be a zombie)

Disclaimer: I have no connection to the organizers, promoters, property owners, etc.  I mention this event solely as a public service for interested individuals wishing to hone their zombie slaying skills prior to the actual zombie apocalypse [WWZ].  Note: Zombies will be played by actors and therefore will not be undead; please leave actual zombie fighting equipment in the trunk of your car.

I will do my darnedest to be there so as to be able to report back with a proper review.  [I for one would like to know who volunteers to be shot in the head with an airsoft gun…]  In the mean time I will be reviewing the Romero catalog as well as a Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead.

Feds move to seize four U.S. mosques + account of visit to Houston mosque

This story just broke; from the Houston Chronicle:

Federal prosecutors Thursday took steps to seize four U.S. mosques, including one in Houston, and a Fifth Avenue skyscraper owned by a nonprofit Muslim organization long suspected of being secretly controlled by the Iranian government.

Startlingly, less than a half hour after this news broke, I received the following email from a lady who recounts her recent visit to the Houston mosque mentioned in the story:

A few minutes ago I turned on the news and saw a mosque on tv. It is one of 4 in the USA being seized by our government. It has been under surveillance by the feds for some time, I learned.

This mosque was familiar to me because a couple of years ago I went there with a group of parents and children (confirmation candidates) from our church. Our goal was to learn differences in the two religions, ours being Christianity, of course. Entering, we all had to take off our shoes and put on slippers. That was OK with me, since we were told it is a sign of respect. However, that was the end of good feeling for me in that place. I don’t think any of us felt comfortable there, adults or children. There was not a feeling of love, peace, joy or welcome in that place. It felt cold and threatening and I felt increasingly worried. The females in our group, old and young, were separated from the males going into the worship area and most felt insulted by the attitude of the muslim leader. I realized this was a good experience for the young girls. I was proud that the girls were the ones who spoke up first – not the adult women – when we were allowed to ask questions about the religion. I could tell the girls felt devalued. They had been brought up believing, and rightly so, that girls and boys are equal in God’s eyes and He loves us all the same.

As we toured the building (mosque and school) we passed a table full of religious texts and books by Ayatolla Khomeni! The table was right outside the entrance to the men’s side of the worship area. It was all I could do to keep from saying, “OK, that’s enough, let’s go home now.” It was like seeing books by the devil himself on that table. I couldn’t wait  to get out of there. I really felt an evil force in that place and was so glad to drive thru the gates and go home.

I don’t think I need to remind you to pray for our country, our leaders, and our soldiers every day.

I am glad that the Feds are showing some decisive action here but with the Ft. Hood attack last week and now this, I have to wonder:

What do you call an “Overseas Contingency Operation” that’s not overseas?