More Stolen Dynamite Is Found; 39 Sticks to Go
Thirty-six sticks of dynamite were found in a stolen pickup in Moreno Valley on Sunday, federal officials said.
They were among the 686 sticks stolen from a small gold mining operation near Big Bear City this month. In addition to the dynamite, weighing about 500 pounds, a 30-pound bag of potentially explosive ammonium nitrate, fuel oil and mining equipment were also stolen.
About half the dynamite sticks and all of the ammonium nitrate turned up in two plastic containers in front of a Riverside fire station Wednesday. The next day, 40 more sticks were found in front of a Moreno Valley fire station.
Thirty-nine sticks are still missing.
After finding the stolen pickup in Moreno Valley, a police officer couldn’t reach the owner. The truck was then towed, said Sgt. Earl Quinata, spokesman for the Riverside County sheriff.
In the truck, towing company employees found a backpack containing the dynamite, Quinata said. The dynamite is being held by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the theft.
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