The State provided the following information via email:
At approximately 11:30 AM January 23, 2008, the Agency was informed that the Licensee had a Instro Tek Model 3500, SN 599, portable moisture/density gauge stolen from the back of a truck. The theft occurred at approximately 6:00 AM . The gauge was locked with a chain in the bed of the truck which was parked unattended at an employee's residence. The gauge contains 11 mCi (408 MBq) of Cesium-137 and 44 mCi (1.63 GBq) Am:Be-241. The Licensee is offering a $500.00 reward for the recovery of the source. A press release will be made.
Glendale PD is investigating and has issued report number 08-8332.
The Agency [State] continues to investigate the circumstances regarding this theft for the source. The states of CA, NV, CO, UT, and NM and Mexico and U.S. NRC and FBI are being notified of this event."
- * * UPDATE BY AUBREY GODWIN TO JASON KOZAL ON 02/19/08 AT 1103 EST * * *
The device was recovered from a Pawn Shop in Phoenix, AZ after being advertised on e-Bay. The Pawn Shop Owner indicated the device was not opened but it was not secured. The investigation continues.
Notified R4DO (Miller), FSME (Burgess), ILTAB (e-mail), Mexico (Fax)
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than
IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as
moisture density gauges or thickness
gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks.