Ax-Wielding Men Damage Rockwell Satellite

Two men armed with an ax were arrested early Sunday morning after they allegedly broke into the Rockwell International complex here and damaged a $50-million navigational satellite.

Rockwell security guards apprehended the men, who had jumped a fence at the complex about 5 a.m. and entered a satellite storage room through an unlocked door, according to company spokeswoman Janet Dean. Officials said they are searching for a motive in the break-in.

Seal Beach police arrested Keith Joseph Kjoller, 31, and Peter Allen Lumsdaine, 37, both of Santa Cruz.

The two were being held at Orange County Jail on suspicion of burglary, felony vandalism, conspiracy, and trespassing, said Seal Beach Sgt. Dean Vanone. Bail was set at $1 million each.

The two men allegedly struck the middle portion of the satellite with the ax, striking it an unknown number of times, officials said.

Though the Global Positioning System satellite’s sensitive navigational transmitters were unharmed in the incident, overall damage to the outer shell and structure was estimated to be at least $50,000. Dean said the damage can be repaired.

The satellite that was damaged was scheduled to be shipped to the U.S. Air Force in August, Dean said. It is uncertain whether that deadline will still be met, she added.

Dean said the suspects were probably inside the complex five minutes before being apprehended in the room where the satellite was stored. They also broke a window in a clean room--a dust-free site used to store sensitive equipment--before entering the storage room.

“We have no idea what their motivation was,” she said, adding that Sunday’s incident was the first of its kind at Rockwell.

The satellite, which is about the size of a small car, is used for both military and civilian navigation.

The Global Positioning System is a constellation of satellites that emit signals allowing users to gauge position, velocity and time with great precision, Dean said. It can be used from cars, boats, airplanes or other vehicles.

The system was originally built for the Pentagon, but it is being used more today by civilians in navigation, search-and-rescue missions and environmental surveillance.

Company officials said the two suspects are not believed to be former Rockwell employees.

The FBI is investigating the incident.