Harbor Police Seize Firearms, Explosives from Point Loma Home

Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Contact: Dale Frost (619) 686-6461

Officers with the Port of San Diego's Harbor Police Department on November 9, 2011, arrested a 58-year-old San Diego man after seizing numerous firearms and explosive devices from his Point Loma residence.

Harbor Police officers removed 18 rifles, 14 unregistered handguns, one fully-automatic sub-machine gun, four explosive devices and more than 4,000 rounds of ammunition from the residence during the search.

The suspect, Fred Seeber, who has a prior felony conviction, according to police, was arrested on several charges, including illegal possession of an automatic weapon and possession of explosive devices.

The Metro Arson Strike Team and agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were on the scene when the weapons were seized.

Harbor Police Sergeant Mike Rich obtained a warrant to search the home after being called to the residence to investigate a possible theft. While there, he determined that the resident possessed weapons.

It is illegal for a prior felon to possess firearms in California.

"Excellent investigative work by Sergeant Mike Rich led to the execution of this warrant and the seizure of dangerous weapons," said Harbor Police Chief John Bolduc.

A 24-year veteran of the Harbor Police, Sergeant Rich was named 2009 Harbor Police Officer of the Year.

"The main thing is that all of those guns are off the street," said Harbor Police Lieutenant James Jordan. "Who knows where these guns could have ended up?"

The suspect was booked into San Diego County Jail and bail was set at $100,000.

The weapons were impounded at the San Diego Police Department.

If the suspect is found guilty, the weapons will most likely be destroyed, police said.

The Harbor Police Department sometimes assists other law enforcement agencies in a cooperative arrangement. The San Diego Police Department had requested assistance from the Harbor Police to patrol the Point Loma area.

The Harbor Police is the law enforcement arm of the Port of San Diego. The Harbor Police Department provides law enforcement, homeland security and marine firefighting services on San Diego Bay, at San Diego International Airport and along the tidelands within the Port of San Diego's jurisdiction

The Port of San Diego was created by state legislature in 1962 and is responsible for $1.7 billion in public improvements in its five member cities: Imperial Beach, San Diego, Coronado, Chula Vista and National City.

The Port District oversees two maritime cargo terminals, two cruise ship terminals, 17 public parks, the Harbor Police Department and the leases of more than 600 tenant and sub tenant businesses around San Diego Bay.