The erratic behaviour gets worse if there are several equipment sources nearby. I have observed units running out of a camp, outside of the walls, and proceed to repeat the container-access animation on an empty hillside.
Divers exhibit this behaviour when their uniform is removed, while other units react the same way to their vest being removed. I suspect this is related to having most of their standard equipment removed with the item.
Units do not do this if all containers nearby are empty.