The US Army Reserve has reported the theft of three High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (Humvees) from a center in Southern California.
Police confirmed the incident at the Tustin Army Reserve Center involving two unarmored vehicles and a single armored variant.
Suspects were able to cut a fence to enter the site’s parking lot and left at an unknown time, according to the authorities.
Alongside the platforms, the culprits were able to steal gear and remove locks from multiple depository lockers. The infiltration also saw an attempt to open a uniform storage.
Additional military equipment looted from the installation included eight machine gun vehicle mounts, seven free-standing gun tripods, medical capabilities, 40 pairs of binoculars, and 18 bayonets.
Three days after the break-in, two of the soft Humvee variants were recovered in Santa Ana City and Orange City by the Tustin Police Department.
Authorities are still looking for the remaining vehicle in armored configuration.
People who have intel on the other missing equipment are encouraged to get in touch with the police or local law enforcement agency.
Humvees in US Army
The US Army currently employs about 160,000 Humvees. The vehicle was first employed in the late 1980s and has since undergone a series of iterations to match the evolving battlefield.
In the early 2000s, the US Department of Defense revealed it would replace the fleet due to its obsolescence.
In 2023, Humvee developer AM General received a $4.7-billion prime contract to produce its flagship Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) model in support of the modernization effort.
Another industry partner. Oshkosh Defense, signed a deal for additional JLTVs for the joint force.
