Black Hawk County looks to put the lock on anhydrous theft

Officials in Black Hawk County are launching a new initiative to keep a key ingredient in the illegal drug methamphetamine under wraps. Special locks are being distributed to those who own anhydrous ammonia tanks. Black Hawk County Deputy Sheriff Tony Thompson says the project involves a lot of people.The locks cost nearly 13-thousand dollars, and that tab’s being paid by businesses and private donors. The locks are being made by C-and-K Manufacturing of Humboldt. Company spokeswoman Vivian Kitley hopes drug makers are frustrated by the locks.Deputy Thompson says by the end of the month, every anhydrous ammonia tank in Black Hawk County should be locked down and inaccessible to thieves. Thompson says that’s not the end of their “War on Meth”, though. His agency’s looking for some new drug-fighting tools such as night vision devices.Black Hawk County is the first in the state to implement a plan to put locks on ammonia tanks.