“Me and my friend went to the mechanic today and we found this on his car.”
October 4th, 2010Update: FBI Demands Return of the Device
Via: Wired:
A California student got a visit from the FBI this week after he found a secret GPS tracking device on his car, and a friend posted photos of it online. The post prompted wide speculation about whether the device was real, whether the young Arab-American was being targeted in a terrorism investigation and what the authorities would do.
It took just 48 hours to find out: The device was real, the student was being secretly tracked and the FBI wanted their expensive device back, the student told Wired.com in an interview Wednesday.
The answer came when half-a-dozen FBI agents and police officers appeared at Yasir Afifi’s apartment complex in Santa Clara, California, on Tuesday demanding he return the device.
—End Update—
They found a government of law enforcement GPS tracking unit.
Via: Reddit:
Me and my friend went to the mechanic today and we found this on his car. http://imgur.com/OM6nE.jpg i am pretty confident it is a tracking device by the FBI but my friend’s roommates think it is a bomb..any thoughts?
Edit 1:I should also clarify that the FBI had interest in my friend since his father passed away, as he was a religious leader and they’ve made attempts at contacting my friend to spew racist questions.
…
My plan was to just put the device on another car or in a lake…
Edit 3: MORE PICTURES!! http://imgur.com/sspLU.jpg http://imgur.com/f4V2T.jpg http://imgur.com/srhrK.jpg
…
It’s a Guardian ST820. It’s a GPS tracking unit made by the company Cobham, the product line is called Orion. The redditor who said that the battery and magnetic unit is hand made is wrong, you’ve got the standard kit, it is sold like that by Cobham. Sales is restricted to army and law enforcement. TL;DR : yes, FBI or Police is after you.
426-4Q
ST820TK
Guardian
$4,781.11
426-4Q
ST820TK-SW
Guardian with Software
$5,259.70
426-4Q
ST970TK
ST970TK Paladin
$5,264.48
426-4Q
ST820TDK
Guardian
$5,355.42
426-4Q
ST820TDK-SW
Guardian with Software
$5,834.01
426-4Q
ST820TK-SW-CS
Guardian with Software and CS
$5,929.72
426-4Q
ST820TDK-SW-CS
Guardian with Software and CS
$6,504.03
https://www.gsaadvantage.gov/ref_text/GS07F9227S/GS07F9227S_online.htm
Wow, that is like the most un-slick tracking device I have ever seen. It looks part lightsaber.
that comment thread at Reddit was the funniest thing i have read in months. it had me in tears and stitches. it is funny and informative.