ATF, FBI investigating theft of explosives

ST. LOUIS -- Federal authorities were investigating Wednesday the theft of potentially dangerous explosives stolen from a storage bunker at a law enforcement training center.

Officials refused to disclose how much dynamite, C-4 and other materials used in explosives -- cast boosters, safety fuse and detonating cord -- was stolen.

"Enough has been taken that we're concerned about public safety," said Zachary Lowe, an FBI supervisory special agent.

"Right now, we do not know what this has been taken for," said Joy Branch-Enderlin, resident agent in charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

An FBI agent discovered the theft Tuesday, and authorities say the materials were stolen within the past 10 days.

The explosives were being stored at the St. Charles County Sheriff Department's training center and firearms range, in a county outside of St. Louis.

Officials have said the explosives were stored properly in an approved storage magazine -- which resembles a large construction Dumpster -- used by both the FBI and the St. Charles County Sheriff's Department. Not everything in the magazine was taken.

Dynamite is a nitroglycerin-based high explosive. C-4 is a military-grade plastic explosive.

Anyone who sees the materials should exercise extreme caution, officials said.

"This material can be very dangerous in the hands of someone who does not understand it," Lowe said.

They showed an example of inert C-4, which looked like a thin, rectangular brick wrapped inside dark plastic.

The federal agencies are offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the conviction of those who took the explosives.