The following information was received via E-mail from the
California Department of Public Health - Radiologic Health Branch (
RHB):
On 4/1/22, at 1934 PDT, California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) contacted RHB to report two moisture density gauges stolen from a licensee's storage facility. The stolen gauges included a CPN Model MC1-DR, S/N MD 80709102 and a CPN Model MC1-Elite, S/N MD 70408697, each containing 10 mCi of Cs-137 and 40 mCi of Am-241. Both gauges were stolen between the hours of approximately 1700 PDT on 3/31/22 and 0900 PDT on Friday, 4/1/2022, from the locked storage shed located in the lower parking lot of the licensee's office [redacted] in Novato, CA. The licensee had notified the Novato Police Department of the theft immediately after it was discovered. On 4/2/22, RHB contacted the licensee and learned that both gauges had been recovered by the Novato PD. They were located on a paved walking trail south of the licensee's office building. Per the RSO [(Radiation Safety Officer)], the gauges did not have any evidence of tampering except minor damage to one of the Type A containers. On 4/4/22, both gauges will be taken to Instrotek for further evaluation and leak testing.
California 5010 Number: 040122
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