Explosive Chemical Thefts Investigated

July 18, 2003
By The Associated Press

Federal agents said today they are investigating the theft of 1,100 pounds of an explosive chemical from construction companies in Colorado and California in the past week.

Both thefts involve ammonium nitrate, a key ingredient in the bomb that destroyed the Oklahoma City federal building in 1995.

In the first heist, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives issued a nationwide alert Monday after eight 50-pound bags of an ammonium nitrate-based explosive vanished from the Pike View Quarry near Colorado Springs. The 400 pounds of explosive were packaged in yellow bags.

Earlier this week, 700 pounds of the same chemical were stolen from a similar business in San Diego County, Calif., ATF agent Rich Marianos said Friday.

"We're trying to check to see if it's similar or if we can rule out if it's involved in our theft," Marianos said.

The California theft from Tom C. Dyke Drilling and Blasting in Alpine happened Sunday or Monday, San Diego County sheriff's officials said. Thieves forced their way into a locked trailer and took 14 50-pound bags.

Authorities have not named any suspects in the thefts. A half-dozen homes and businesses in the Colorado Springs area have been searched.

"There really hasn't been much concrete information to go on in this case," Colorado Springs police Lt. Skip Arms said. "There's equally the possibility it was somebody who had a legitimate blasting job and didn't want to pay for the chemicals to someone with bad intentions."

Ammonium nitrate is also used as fertilizer. The government estimated about 4,800 pounds of ammonium nitrate fertilizer was used to make the bomb that killed 168 people in Oklahoma City.

Authorities have said 450 pounds of the material stolen in Colorado could destroy a three-story building if made into a bomb.

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