FBI puts dive shops on alert

FBI puts dive shops on alert
Click-2-Listen
By Alejandra Cancino

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

The FBI is asking dive shop owners to be on the lookout for suspicious behavior or criminal activity by their customers. The bureau recently issued a national advisory.

Judy Orihuela, a spokeswoman for the FBI's Miami office, said the routine advisories are sent out occasionally "just to give heads-up in things to look out for."

Examples of what dive shops are asked to look out for include:

• Requests for special training that include diving in murky water or sewer pipes.

• Requests to learn advanced skills such as the use of re-breathers.

• Purchasing or renting Swimmer Delivery Vehicles and Diver Propulsion Vehicles.

• Paying in cash or refusing to provide personal information.

Re-breathers are normally used by the military because they make few or no bubbles and can allow people to stay in the water from three to eight hours; other systems allow people to stay in the water from 30 minutes to two hours. The time depends on the depth of the water.

People also use re-breathers when they want to photograph marine animals.

Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)