The following report was received via email from the
Texas Department of State Health Services [the Agency]:
On February 3, 2023, the licensee notified the Agency of a stolen moisture density gauge. The gauge was left chained to the back of a truck at a [Borger, TX] hotel overnight. At around 0700 CST, the technician found the chains cut. The incident was reported to the local police department [and the State and local emergency management coordinators]. The licensee reported that the gauge was in the safe position within a Type A Package which had both sides of the package locked. The licensee reported that the gauge is a CPN-MC1-DR model that contains 50 millicuries of americium-241 and 10 millicuries of cesium-137. The serial [number] for the gauge and the two sources was reported to be MD40301932. Further information will be provided per SA-300 when obtained.
Texas Incident No: I-9985
Texas NMED No.: TX230003
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