Mo. man accused of stealing explosives

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- A 22-year-old from St. Charles County, Mo., stole more than 50 pounds of explosives from an area police range, officials allege.

Officials said Ryan D. Webster was charged with possessing stolen explosives after being arrested at his place of employment this week, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch said Saturday.

Investigators tied Webster to the disappearance of 13 blocks of C-4 explosives from the St. Charles County Law Enforcement Training Center in 2007.

After arresting Webster Thursday, authorities searched his St. Charles County home for the missing explosives Friday. Webster worked in an area grocery and had no criminal record prior to being arrested.

Authorities did locate an unspecified amount of the explosives and a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent said the public should not be concerned in regards to the case.

The Post-Dispatch said an unidentified acquaintance of Webster alleged the 22-year-old believed the world would come to an end in 2012 and was preparing for that moment.