Research by the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) substantiates that the term "cloned vehicle" pertains to cosmetically altered vehicles made to look like legitimate emergency or commercial vehicles, but also applies to vehicles with fictitious titles and vehicle identification numbers. An investigation by Homeland Security Today disclosed that "cloned vehicles" have been reported from Oregon to Georgia. Completely cloned 18-wheelers disguised as Wal-Mart trucks have been impounded in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, and Missouri, according to law enforcement officials.
Within the United States, the potential exists for the use of cloned vehicles for terrorist activities ranging from surveillance and preplanning to an actual terrorist attack as has occurred in other nations. Because of this viable threat, the EMR-ISAC recommends that Emergency Services Sector (ESS) personnel develop the ability to detect "cloned vehicles" and distinguish them from genuine emergency and commercial vehicles.
To assist ESS departments and agencies, the EMR-ISAC offers the following additional suggestions to prepare emergency responders for this increased threat:
· Learn about the technology and resources to develop "cloned vehicles."
· Familiarize with the actual methods and materials used to create "cloned vehicles."
· Pay attention to delivery, service, and utility vehicles while performing duties.
· Know how to verify the official markings on government and military vehicles.
· Be able to locate concealed illicit items, particularly those harmful to responders and citizens.
· Promote the creation of laws or statues that criminalize the development and use of "cloned vehicles."
Additional information about the proliferation of "cloned vehicles" can be seen at:
https://www.nicb.org/cps/rde/xbcr/nicb/13734_VehicleCloning_Eng.pdf.
this isn't really new.
There have been a number of instances that I know of where Union Pacific Railroad vehicles were cloned and used to transport drugs up and down I35 and across the US/Mexico border. Some of the work was very, very good, down to even adding fake hyrail wheels and phony hydraulics to simulate a track vehicle.
Railroad vehicles are often cloned because they don't get much scrutiny on interstate highways like rental sports cars with Texas license plates.
I remember a while back a lot of UPS uniforms going thru E-Bay. I worked for a while as an Airborne Express driver and in that uniform carrying a clipboard and a package or envelope you could go almost anywhere unchallenged.