Posted on 07/10/2004 12:04:39 PM PDT by Libloather
Police investigate missing bags of ammonium nitrate
Winston-Salem police are investigating the disappearance of 100 bags of ammonium nitrate from a local fertilizer plant. The chemical compound is commonly used as fertilizer but can also be used in explosives.
According to police, Royster-Clark, one of the nation's largest retailers of fertilizer products, filed a report of a break-in and larceny that occurred between July 1 and Tuesday at the company's plant at 3105 N. Glenn Ave. An inventory check revealed that 100 50-pound bags of the compound were missing, Lt. Brad Yandell said.
Police found 35 of the bags at three local addresses, including two vacant houses on Glenn Avenue and a home in the 1000 block of Betty Drive. Officials are still looking for the other 65 bags, Yandell said, and have no suspects in the larceny.
Police have notified the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI, about the investigation because of the potential for the compound to be used in explosives. The compound has occasionally been used for terrorist bombs, such as the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
This makes me nervous.
I cannot tell a lie ... it's on my tomato's! ;)
I suspect your local large scale pot farmer. 5,000 lbs of AN will grow alot of 'maters!
A college room-mate who grew up on a midwestern farm told me about the "instant ponds" his father and some neighbors would create with several sacks of ammonium nitrate fertilizer soaked in fuel oil, and detonated with blasting caps (all products readily available at the feed store). He said they also used such materials to blast stumps. I thought he was just blowing smoke at a gullible city boy, but learned in chemistry class that he was not just making it up.
No one thought very much about this; like rifles and pistols in the possession of law abiding citizens, blasting supplies in the hands of productive peaceful farmers was "no problemo".
The neighbors I've gotten to know in this little corner of the Piedmont north of Winston-Salem, straddling the NC/VA border almost universally have several rifles, shotguns, pistols, and ample supplies of ammunition for all. They're all quiet, peaceful people, and they aim for the area to stay that way. It's a great place to live. Once in a while, you hear about something being robbed from a home or farm building, but not very often. The "low lifes" generally look for easier, safer "pickings" in areas where most are afraid of guns.
Well, if you don't have a job, you drive a brand new 4 wheel drive pickup, you pay cash for all your purchases, I guess folks already suspect that you are a crook, so buying 2 1/2 tons of fertilizer probably wouldn't hurt your reputation.
As far as I know you can buy 46-0-0 over the counter at most farm supply stores.
Were that true I'm afraid I'd have very little time here on FR.
I mean ... I mean ... I could have acres and acres of tomato's.
Unless I see some guys setting up, say about 50, 45gal., plastic barrels, (seeming rather heavy) and fuzing them together, I'm going to forget about the fertilizer company's loss. ;)
there was plenty of fertilizer spread around at the OK City bombing.....but it wasnt
the kind normally used on vegetables....not enough brissance
from what I understand...
(In my best Seinfeld voice):
If the bags are missing....
....how can the police investigate them?
"Fertilizer? North Carolina? Must have ended up in Greensboro:"
If they wanted fertilizer, they should have invited Kerry and Edwards. Those two put out enough at one event, to meet the fertilizer needs of America's farmers for decades.
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