Exclusive - At Texas fertiliser plant, a history of theft, tampering

[xchrom]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/05/03/uk-usa-explosion-texas-idUKBRE94206520130503

(Reuters) - The Texas fertiliser plant that exploded two weeks ago, killing 14 people and injuring about 200, was a repeat target of theft by intruders who tampered with tanks and caused the release of toxic chemicals, police records reviewed by Reuters show.

Police responded to at least 11 reports of burglaries and five separate ammonia leaks at West Fertilizer Co over the past 12 years, according to 911 dispatch logs and criminal offense reports Reuters obtained from the McLennan County Sheriff's office in Waco, Texas through an Open Records Request.

Some of the leaks, including one reported in October 2012, were linked to theft or interference with tank valves.

According to one 2002 crime report, a plant manager told police that intruders were stealing four to five gallons of anhydrous ammonia every three days. The liquid gas can be used to cook methamphetamine, the addictive and illicit stimulant.

[hatrack]

1. But they weren't swarthy terrorists, so no problem!

Right?

[xchrom]

2. appears that way. nt

[madokie]

3. When it comes right down to it

meth is killing way more Americans than terrorism is.
I know a lot of old pot smokers who are still going strong, can't say the same for meth users though as most of the ones I knew die young. I wish there was something that could be done about meth but I don't know what that would be.

[FSogol]

4. 11 burglaries? Was it cost prohibitive to add locking shut off vavles or better security?

This is still on the owners and lack of government oversight, not on some tweekers stealing ammonia.

[xchrom]

5. one might think better security would have been obvious. nt

[FSogol]

6. They just didn't care.

[BlueToTheBone]

8. Or they were making a profit off the drugs.

[jmowreader]

9. You can buy bolt cutters no questions asked

The only thing that stops a tweaker with an empty propane tank is five good guys with baseball bats, but multiple security guards are expensive.

[LisaL]

10. That plant didn't have any security guards, according to the article.

[jmowreader]

11. That's traditional at anhydrous dealers around Idaho

My brother-in-law is a retired Nez Perce County sheriff's deputy. There is an ag supply down there that sells anhydrous, and "Joe" used to bust at least one tweaker a week stealing this shit. No guards. Not much of anything else. They put a shrouded shackle padlock (one you can't cut off with bolt cutters) on the handle to the ammonia tank, and a tweaker used an 18v cordless angle grinder to cut the handle off. What stopped the constant thefts was finding out it's now cheaper to import meth from Mexico than to cook your own.

[FSogol]

13. So, they shouldn't have any security because locks can be cut?

[jmowreader]

16. If your security is a lock, you have no security

Locks keep honest people out. Anyone trying to steal ammonia is by definition not an honest person...to keep a tweaker out of your anhydrous tank you need a big guy with a gun, a club, a couple of his friends on the premises and the biggest Rottweiler you can lay your hands on. Fertilizer stores are generally built in the middle of nowhere (the one in West almost certainly started out that way) and isolation aids theft.

[Progressive dog]

7. According to the story, this had nothing to do with the explosion

nt

[FSogol]

14. Yes, the "sometimes tweakers break in" is intended to deflect attention from management & the

local government's missteps.

[Canuckistanian]

15. Oh, but it does

It shows the mindset and lack of dedication to public safety on the part of the owner.

Profits above all.

[HiPointDem]

12. kr