The following was received via email from the State of California:
On October 2, 2018, at approximately 0830 [PDT] the, Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) for Geocon, Inc. contacted [California Radiologic Health Branch] RHB Brea concerning the moisture/density gauge, Troxler, model 3440, serial #33877 (Cs-137, 0.333 gigaBecquerel; Am-241, 1.6 gigaBecquerel) that had been stolen along with a transport vehicle parked in San Ysidro, CA, at approximately 0600 to 0700 [PDT], on Friday morning, September 28, 2018.
The authorized user whose truck was stolen did not inform the RSO until 1000 to 1030 [PDT] on Monday, October 1, 2018, of the stolen radioactive gauge. The RSO has contacted local law enforcement in San Diego and is awaiting the completed police report, a copy of which he will send to RHB Brea to be included as part of this report. The RSO will contact local newspapers to attempt to retrieve the stolen radioactive gauge as well as notifying local servicing vendors of radioactive gauges to be alert for the serial number of the stolen gauge in case it turns up for service. The investigation will continue to determine if the radioactive gauge can be recovered in a reasonable time frame. California Notices of Violation will be issued to the licensee for failure to report the loss in a timely manner, and loss of control of the radioactive material.
California Report No. 5010-100218
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