Huge amounts of high-tech explosives, including 67 kg of commercial plastic explosives, which can be used to make numerous bombs, have been stolen from a private storage facility in the southwest US state of New Mexico, officials said on Tuesday.
The thieves used blowtorches to cut through the thick steel walls of a bunker where the explosives were stored, ABC News said, quoting the officials.
The missing 400 pounds of explosives includes 150 pounds of what is known as C-4 plastic, or "sheet explosive," which can be shaped and moulded and is often used by terrorists and military operatives.
Also, 2,500 detonators were missing from the storage explosive container, or magazine, in a bunker owned by Cherry Engineering.
Federal investigators probing the theft said there is no indication terrorism is involved.
The theft, ABC said, is one of the largest reported cases from a facility in the United States. In the decade ending 2004, a total of about 1,000 pounds was reported stolen from government facilities in 14 reported incidents.
A special agent was quoted as saying the incident is unusual because such high-powered material was targeted.