The following information was provided via email:
On July 12, 2022, the licensee notified the Agency that around 1230 CDT, a Humboldt 5001EZ Moisture Density Gauge containing a 40 milliCurie Americium-241 source and a 10 milliCurie Cesium-137 source was stolen out of the back of a company truck. The licensee reported that the technician returned to the site office, he unlocked the moisture density gauge transit case. He then got distracted and went into the office. When he went back outside the case was still chained to the truck but when he opened the case the gauge was missing. The gauge was unlocked. LLE [Local Law Enforcement] was notified. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300.
Texas Incident number: 9939
- * * UPDATE ON 2/9/23 AT 0946 EST FROM TEXAS DEPT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES (THE AGENCY) TO KAREN COTTON * * *
On July 12, 2022, the licensee notified the Agency that a Humboldt 5001EZ moisture density gauge, serial number 3716, was stolen out of the transport case in the back of a pickup at the licensee's site office. The gauge contained an 10 millicurie cesium-137 source and a 40 millicurie americium-241/beryllium source. The technician had unlocked the transport case, got distracted and went into the office. When he came back outside the gauge was no longer in the case. The investigation was completed on August 17, 2022, and two violations were cited. On February 2, 2023, the Agency was notified by the NRC that a Moisture Density Gauge was posted for sale on eBay. The Agency contacted the seller and determined that it was the stolen gauge and the licensee retrieved the gauge on February 8, 2023. The seller found the gauge in a dumpster behind a retail store. The gauge was inspected and a leak test was conducted. The gauge operates properly.
Notified R4DO (Gaddy), NMSS Events Notification, ILTAB, and CNSNS (Mexico) via email.
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