The following was reported by the
Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email:
On June 13, 2022, the licensee notified the Agency that on Friday, June 10, 2022, a truck containing a Insto Tek 3500 moisture density gauge was stolen. The gauge contained a 44 millicurie americium-241 source, and an 11 millicurie cesium-137 source. The licensee reported that the technician had stopped at a convenience store to buy some items and when they came back out the truck was missing. The licensee stated the gauge was locked in the back of the truck but was unsure if the keys to the locks were also taken. The licensee stated the gauge has an old [Global Positioning System] (GPS) tracking device that was inactive. The licensee stated they had contacted the GPS service company to see if the tracking device was still active and the gauge tracked that way. The licensee stated it would take up to 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> to determine if the tracking device could be used. The licensee stated the local police was notified of the theft. The individual who contacted the Agency stated they had not interviewed the technician about the event so some of the information requested by the Agency was unknown. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300.
Texas Incident Number: 9934
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