On the evening of 8 October or early morning of 9 October 2009, an unauthorised entry attempt was made on an explosives mag zine at a quarry in the Perth metropolitan region. The front gate lock was cut to gain access to the site. Damage to the 10-tonne explosives magazine indicated that:
- a grinder was used in an effort to remove the hinges;
- the tubular extensions surrounding the key holes were cut off;
- the lock was drilled;
- the D-bar handle was significantly distorted; and
- the perpetrators also attempted to remove the gauze from a side ventilator to further try gaining access to the magazine.
The construction of the magazine complied with Australian Standard 2187.1:1998 Explosives − Storage, transport and use − Storage and it satisfactorily withstood the attack.
No explosives were being stored within the magazine at the time of the attack. It is of inte est that the magazine had been on site for a week or two, and the attack occurred as soon as fencing started being erected around the compound.