Nuclear gauge in stolen North Van vehicle found in Surrey: RCMP
Posted February 19, 2024 11:59 am.
Last Updated February 19, 2024 12:00 pm.
The RCMP says a nuclear gauge that was inside a vehicle that was stolen in North Vancouver last week was found in Surrey.
The Surrey RCMP confirms to CityNews the device was located abandoned Sunday afternoon and has since been returned to its rightful owner.
On Tuesday, Mounties in North Vancouver said the Troxler 3430 was inside a grey 2004 Mazda 6 that was reported stolen from a parking lot of a fitness centre on Marine Drive and Mackay Road.
The device, which is used in construction and other industrial sectors to measure and test various materials, contained a small amount of radioactive material, prompting a warning from the RCMP.
“A person may start to experience effects from the radiation after 24 hours of exposure to a gauge that is not stored properly. Tampering with the device can also expose a person to radiation,” the North Vancouver RCMP explained Wednesday, Feb. 14. It added the device “could pose a health risk to the person who took it.”
Investigators noted the nuclear soil moisture gauge did “not produce enough radiation to be a risk to the broader public.” However, the RCMP urged anyone handling the device to keep it in its sealed case to prevent being exposed.
-With files from Catherine Garrett
