Feb. 6--A robbery at a south Kansas City pharmaceutical company netted 100 pounds of a chemical compound that could yield millions of dollars' worth of methamphetamine.
Police Monday were looking for a truck that was stolen in the robbery Sunday night at Sanofi Aventis Pharmaceuticals, 10236 Marion Park Drive. The truck was described as a white GMC flatbed with the words "Midwest Mechanical Contractors" on both sides.
The thieves made off with a barrel containing 100 pounds of the compound, which authorities said could be used to manufacture 400 pounds of methamphetamine. That would have a street value of nearly $28 million.
Police said surveillance cameras spotted two men in the truck. One was wearing all black, the other all white.
According to Darren Snapp, a police spokesman, the men entered the pharmaceutical company about 7 p.m. Sunday and handcuffed a security guard. While one of the men was away, the guard called police from a cell phone. One of the robbers heard the guard and took the phone away.
The two men then fled, using the truck to haul a large barrel containing the compound, which is a key ingredient in many cold medicines.
After police arrived, officers could not find the guard, so they called in a tactical team to search for her. Several hours later officers found the guard handcuffed to a stairway railing. She was unharmed.
Anyone who has seen a truck that fits the description or has information about the robbery should call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS (474-8477).
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Copyright (c) 2007, The Kansas City Star, Mo. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.