Couple more security examples. In the mid / Late 90’s I was working on a couple of completely un-classified projects that happened to be based in a government facility with high security (needed a fairly high level clearance just to be on site. Random car searches were the norm. Stopped once and asked to open boot (trunk) and the security guy and I look at the collection of kit that included:
Several hundred meters of aerospace grade cable
HF transceiver and other parts from a F4 Phantom
Mercury tilt switches
Can of diesel
Sealed lead acid batteries
Several pyrotechnic actuator squibs (in ammo can with holes drilled in it)
Dynamo exploder unit.
All that was missing was a bag of fertiliser.
Guard “that all your stuff?” Me “yes” , Guard “OK”, & closes boot.
A year or later I was driving a small van. I visited Johns Radio in Yorkshire to buy a bunch of TE (Remember them?) and having a look around spotted a stillage of computer and aircraft “bits” in the yard (It was just starting to snow) Asked what the deal was and John says “That’s just scrap, take what you want”. So I filled the van
After about a week of going in and out of the secure site I realised that a good portion of the kit had government property stickers and quite bit had asset numbers related to the site I was on.
Sent John a cheque for £50 asking for a invoice for “qty of used equipment ex XXXXX”