Stolen chemical could be fatal

Police fear the chemical may have been dumped.

Police are warning people to be on the alert after a potentially fatal chemical was stolen from a storage facility in Mt Maunganui.

Detectives fear the hydrofluoric acid was stolen by thieves involved in making the drug P who may dump it or transport it out of the area.

A 20-litre container of the highly corrosive acid and 80 litres of hydrochloric acid were stolen from a chemical storage facility on Sunday or Monday morning.

Hydrochloric acid is used as an ingredient in P (pure methamphetamine), but hydrofluoric acid is not.

The two chemicals were stored in the same locked cage at the Orica Chemnet facility and police said it was likely the thieves took the hydrofluoric acid without realising what it was.

Constable Wayne Lambert said police were concerned that the substance was out in the community.

"Any small amount is enough to kill someone," he said.

Mr Lambert said the thieves might be tempted to dump the substance if it was useless to them. "If kids come across this, if it's abandoned, there's going to be trouble."

Police were also worried that the chemical would be transported to a P lab, possibly in other districts, he said.

The stolen batches of hydrofluoric and hydrochloric acid were stored in 20-litre containers with labels stating their contents.

Anyone who sees such containers should not to touch them, but call police, the Fire Service, or the Orica Emergency Response Service. They should also call an ambulance if the chemicals were touched or inhaled.

Dr Michael Beasley of the National Poisons Centre said burns from hydrofluoric acid could be treated with an antidote given on the skin or injected, but rapid treatment was vital.


HYDROFLUORIC ACID

* Used as an industrial cleaner to strip metal clean.

* Burns the skin if touched.

* Can cause death if it enters the bloodstream.

* Thieves who stole the chemical probably mistook it for hydrochloric acid, an ingredient in the drug P.

* Anyone with information about the containers is asked to call 0800 SPEAKUP, their local police station, or Wayne Lambert at Mt Maunganui police (07) 575-3143.

* If anyone sees the chemicals, call the Orica Emergency Response Service on 0800 734-607.