"Sydney Airport computer theft 'just theft'"

Friday, September 19, 2003

Airport theft 'just theft'
By Philip Cornford
Australia - The Sydney Morning Herald


One of two men charged with the theft of two mainframe computers from Sydney
Airport is a former employee of EDS, the Australian Customs Service's
computer provider.

The Justice Minister, Chris Ellison, said the theft, which sparked a
political uproar, was a "criminal enterprise motivated by commercial gain
and has not posed any threat to national or aviation security".

The 24-year-old former EDS employee was arrested on Wednesday, along with a
19-year-old Fijian, after a third man brought the stolen computer servers to
Federal Police.

On August 27, two men posing as technicians with EDS spent two hours in the
mainframe room at the customs cargo centre at the airport. They stole two of
four servers and wheeled them past security on trolleys.

An AFP spokesman said police believed the theft had been commissioned, but
would not say whether they knew who commissioned it.

He said the casings on the two computers had been changed so they could be
connected to a different computer network. 

The third man who brought in the computers is assisting police with their
inquiries.

The two alleged thieves will appear in the Downing Centre Local Court on
October 14.


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