Tor-forker Joshua Yabut cuffed for armoured personnel carrier joyride A cryptocurrency developer, occasional infosec researcher, and National Guardsman has been arrested after joyriding an armoured personnel carrier in what some US news sites are calling a “drug-fuelled rampage”. Joshua Yabut, a Virginian National Guard commander, was arrested after allegedly taking an M577 APC for a ride from …
Commander isn't his rank. He's a First Lieutenant. He's a company commander but that's his billet. He's from some Nasty Girl Sapper battalion's headquarters company. I'm sure stealing an APC and leading Civilian cops on a Chase through Richmond gains some favor from the Sapper Daddy, but not enough because he got caught.
Why do American cop cars form long lines for a chase? This is a particularly fine example, but there are many others, including Hollywood depictions, like the Blues Brothers.
It reminds me of junior school soccer... everyone chases the ball, with no thought for tactics, position, passing etc. In this case, they could spread out on parallel streets, in case the target turns or to get ahead to form a decent roadblock (OK, can't use a stinger against a tracked vehicle, but maybe borrow a large construction vehicle or two). The ones at the back aren't going to be useful at all, and could go back to their normal patrols (it could be a diversion!). In the worst case, the APC could reverse, and the pack at the front will bunch up and won't be able to escape safely.
So, why is this long line chase a sensible tactic?
@Allen George Dyer,
Good points, the tactics suck. I think what you have going on is a male group bonding experience brought on by the combined influences of testosterone, adrenaline, and endless weeks of boredom and crap duty punctuated by paperwork.
When something interesting presents itself I think the primal urge to get a piece of the action is far stronger than vague notions of tactics or common sense.
"When something interesting presents itself I think the primal urge to get a piece of the action is far stronger than vague notions of tactics or common sense."
"I want tell you about the town of Stockbridge, Massachusets, where this happened here. They got three stop signs, two police officers, and one police car. But when we got to the "Scene of the Crime" there was five police officers and three police cars, being the biggest crime of the last fifty years, and everybody wanted to get in the newspaper story about it."
@Danny 2 "they don't know what killpower is in the back of the APC" - Sounds like an excellent reason not to get in line for a turkey shoot. It's supposed to be us Brits that are keen on queuing, but even that doesn't extend to a suicide queue.
Better to get ahead and make sure the APC is surrounded when the occupants get out. If they are unarmed / lightly armed, then tell them they're surrounded, come quietly. If heavily armed, then observe and retreat until adequate resources arrive. Do the cops actually carry anything in patrol cars that can reliably take down a guy in full body armour and equipment?
In this case, they knew which base the vehicle was from, so did they have any information about how many personnel and guns were missing.
"So, why is this long line chase a sensible tactic?"
The sensible tactic is to stay out of his way and let him run out of fuel. They only get something like 4 - 5 miles per gallon of diesel for the M577 and M113. They're also slow, do around 40 MPH (although, I did get an M113 up to 60 MPH once, it was on a *really* long hill).
Oh, the armor is particularly weak as well. A couple of inches of aluminum is all.
But, comparing the price of letting him run out of fuel vs the rental of heavy construction equipment and having that equipment getting dented a little, cheaper to let him run out of fuel.
Then, wait for the heat to convince him to depart the metal box being heated by the sun.
"To give RCJ the benefit of the doubt, he's writing for a completely different audience than El Reg."
Which would be ok if he was accurate on what he wrote.
More often than not he writes complete bullshit, which is then regurgitated wholesale because it was on the BBC. They're not doing themselves any favours in the "accurate impartial journalism" stakes by allowing him to to continue being published.
Is that Sky News doesn't know what the difference is between an APC and a tank, or simply doesn't care if the headline gets more hits.
As for Private Browsing, gotta wonder how he thought this was a good idea. The stream of tweets on his feed makes it appear premeditated even if they don't explain why he's doing it. I'm sure his defence representation will prominently reference drugs and mental issues.
A video seemed to show a projection from the top of the vehicle that looked like a forward pointing cannon barrel. With the tracks - that may have led people to assign the name "tank". There have been similar small vehicles classed as "light tanks".
"A video seemed to show a projection from the top of the vehicle that looked like a forward pointing cannon barrel."
Nope. The most the M577 and M113 carry as TC hatch ordinance is either a MK-19 for the M113 or .50 BMG machine gun for the M577 and all weapons are secured in the arms room after operations.
Although, the M113 can also carry a 120 mm mortar, it's a lot squatter than the command vehicle.
Additionally, a tank has armor, the M577 and M113 use around two inches of aluminum for armor. A .50 BMG round would punch right through and ask the occupants for change.
It isn't a tank, its a mobile command post. It's armour is proof (ish) against light weapons (ie handguns), but other than that its about equivalent to a not-very-efficient earthmover.
There are no reports of casualties or serious damage, and he was arrested peacefully. Sounds like the police handled it pretty well. I wonder how many of those pursuing cars were military police?
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