Stolen and recovered nuclear densimeter

Print View Posted on: 02 March 2017

Event Date: 23 January 2017 Event Type: Transportation
Event Location: Mexico, Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico INES Rating: 1 (Final)

On January 23th, 2017 at approximately 16:30 hours (UTC-6) in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, occurred the armed robbery of a vehicle that was transporting a CPN nuclear densimeter that contained the radioactive sources Cs-137 serial number 8961GQ and Am-241/Be serial number 9144NK.
On January 24th, 2017 at approximately 01:00 (UTC-6) The Local Civil Protection Agency of Ciudad Juárez Chihuahua reported that the vehicle had been found a few blocks away from where the robbery had ocurred. The Nuclear densimeter was inside its container and radiation levels of the device were normal.
There was no evidence that the vehicle and the nuclear densimeter had been tampered in any way. There was no risk to the public.

INES Rating: 1 - Anomaly (Final) as per 02 February 2017
Release beyond authorized limits? No
Overexposure of a member of the public? No
Overexposure of a worker? No
Contamination spread within the facility? No
Damage to radiological barriers (incl. fuel damage) within the facility? No
Degradation of Defence In-Depth Yes
Person injured physically or casualty? No
Is there a continuing problem? No

Victor Gonzalez
Comision Nacional de Seguridad Nuclear y Salvaguardias
vmgonzalez@cnsns.gob.mx
http://www.gob.mx/cnsns
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