The following report was received from the State of
California via email:
On November 1, 2016, the RSO [Radiation Safety Officer] of RMA Group, contacted RHB ICE [State of California, Radiation Health Branch, Inspection, Compliance, and Enforcement Section] to report the theft of a moisture density gauge from the gauge user's pickup truck while he was home for lunch [in Grand Terrance, CA]. The nuclear gauge was inside a Type A transportation box was reportedly chained and secured properly but the chains were found cut. Troxler Labs model 3430, # 24568, contains 0.3 GBq of Cs-137 and 1.48 GBq of Am-241/Be. A power generator and other assorted equipment was also stolen.
[The RSO] will notify the local newspaper to place a Reward Notice for information leading to the safe return of the gauge. [The RSO] was asked to obtain a detailed report from the authorized gauge user.
The gauge's theft was reported to San Bernardino Police Dept. as well as the local calibration facilities were alerted of anyone bringing the gauge to them for service. [The State of California] RHB requested a copy of the police report and newspaper notice.
California State Report 5010 Number: 110116
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. For additional information go to
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf