UK – Police have appealed for all drivers to keep an eye out for a blue D21 Nissan truck, registration number R363 PJO which was stolen late on Thursday from Sydenham, South East London. The truck belonged to contractors hired to despatch vermin and contained a phial of the deadly chemical aluminium phosphide.
The chemical is so lethal that two young Danish children were poisoned to death whilst sleeping in Saudi Arabia last year after it was used in a neighbouring property to kill vermin. Just this month two more young sisters died in similar circumstances in the US. The chemical became more widely known following the suicide of Sir Derek Bibby, a leukaemia sufferer and former boss of the Bibby shipping line, after he inhaled fumes from the poison. Post mortem the hospital holding his body had to be partially evacuated after fumes were found present in the vicinity. Water can produce clouds of toxic vapour and it is also deadly if ingested.
The metal phial containing the chemical is silver in colour with a red lid and about 18 centimetres long. If you see any sign of vehicle or container do not touch or open and contact local Police ( 0300 123 1212 )immediately.
