Reward increases for bomb information

TRUCKEE - The reward for explosives taken from a bunker near Truckee, Calif., has increased to $25,000.

In an effort to get useful leads on explosives stolen near Floriston some time between Sept. 6 and Sept. 15, a joint investigation between Nevada County Sheriff's and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has increased reward money and released new information.

"If you are looking for a comparison, 4,800 pounds of ANFO (the type of explosive stolen) were used in Oklahoma City. Here we're talking about 600 pounds, so it's a smaller amount," said Senior Special Agent Nina Delgadillo with ATF.

The alpha mix blasting agent (ANFO), 240 trunkline delay detonators, 160 nonelectric delay detonators, and 120 nonelectric delay detonator MS units were stolen from a bunker licensed to BC Blasting, which uses the explosives for construction and avalanche control, said Lt. Frank Koehler with Nevada County Sheriff's.

The steel hinges on the bunker appeared to have been cut, he said.

"The actual fact that the bunker contained explosives was not well known," he said.

Delgadillo said the fact that they were offering a reward for a case like this is common practice, but the amount is not.

"We initially started at $10,000, but to see if we could get more people interested we increased it to $25,000 now that some time has passed," Delgadillo said. "We would like to bring this to conclusion."

She said using a reward was successful in a recent case in Inyo county, where ATF was able to recover almost all of the explosives they were investigating.

Anyone with information can call 1-888-ATF-BOMB, or contact the Nevada County Sheriff's Office crime tip hotline at (530) 470-2400, or go to mynevadacounty.com/sheriff/ and select online services, crime tip form.