The following was received from the
California Radiation Control Program via email:
On 05/11/21 the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) contacted [the Radiologic Health Branch] RHB to report a moisture density gauge that was discovered by [the California Highway Patrol] CHP in Santa Cruz, CA. The message stated that while CHP and [California Department of Transportation] CALTRANS were removing a transient encampment, a Soil Density Gauge (Troxler Model 3430, S/N #38287, containing 9 mCi of Cs-137 and 44 mCi of Am-241) was discovered at the site and the device does not appear to be damaged.
CHP contacted the gauge vendor, Troxler, and was able to locate the licensee (Dees and Associates, Inc) and inform them of the stolen gauge. CHP took possession of the gauge and [the Radiation Safety Officer] RSO had already picked up the gauge from the CHP facility. According to the RSO, they have noticed a gauge stolen from their storage on 4/15/21. She had immediately notified Santa Cruz Police Department (Case # 21S-02156) and Troxler of the theft at the time of the incident. RHB was unaware of the theft until the Cal OES notification on 5/11/21.
California 5010 Number: 051121
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