The FBI says a freshly painted tanker was recently observed near Glassboro, NJ, with a Delaware registration of 773893. The tanker may be linked to the disappearance of a tank trailer in Pennsauken, NJ.

The painted tanker’s registration showed the tags as having been voluntarily surrendered Sept. 25, 2001. Anyone with information should contact FBI Special Agent Owen Smith at (856) 795-9556.

Officials are concerned because the tank trailer’s disappearance came after the theft of potentially dangerous chemicals in North Jersey.

The Fruehauf fuel-oil tank trailer disappeared from a South Jersey truck terminal in April. The situation is potentially serious because terrorists can turn such tanks into bombs, similar to ones used in bombings in the Middle East and other locations.

FBI spokeswoman Linda Vizi said authorities had received no threats or direct reports relating to the missing tank trailer.

The chemicals were taken from Eastern Concrete Materials in Bogota, NJ, on two occasions. In all, the thieves got away with 3,300 gallons of Rheocrete, an additive that prevents corrosion of steel supports inside poured concrete.

In its purest form, the chemical can be combined with other agents to concoct a bomb like the fertilizer bomb used to blow up the federal building in Oklahoma City.

On the first occasion, the thieves lifted 2,600 gallons of Rheocrete sometime between March 31 and April 5. That was before the 9,000-gallon tank trailer disappeared. The trailer was reported missing sometime between the 8th and 12th of April.

The second chemical theft of 700 gallons occurred between the 9th and 12th of April.

The FBI and New Jersey Counterterrorism officials are investigating both thefts, but the FBI says there's no evidence that they’re connected.