[ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious thieves likely doomed

Thu Dec 5 13:43:04 CST 2013

Why would it not happen here?  The driver(s) were held up at gun-point.  Now, I do all I can to protect my hospital from incidents but I'm not sure I wouldn't hand over all my less than 1 Ci of I-125 to someone with a gun in my nose.

Joe Love Radiation Safety Officer
joel.love at carle.com

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of JOHN.RICH at sargentlundy.com
Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2013 1:35 PM
To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
Cc: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious thieves likely doomed

Radsafers
I tuned in to this one late, but if it hasn't already been discussed, we need to be prepared to tell the media why it won't happen here.  It would seem that a shipment like this would not be left unattended so that theft is "highly unlikely".  Not trying to start a new thread, but I haven't enough experience in source shipment to be able to explain how we prevent this kind of theft.

So, a short paragraph would be much appreciated Thx in advance  -  -jmr

John Rich
312-269-3768

From:   JPreisig at aol.com
To:     radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Date:   12/05/2013 01:28 PM
Subject:        Re: [ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious 
thieves likely doomed
Sent by:        radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu

Hmmmm,

      So, what's the deal ---> these Co-60  thiefs couldn't read the warnings on the Cobalt source??? Ouch.
They actually exposed the source --- how unfortunate.  I guess if they are 

lucky they will check into a local Hospital with gastrointestinal radiation  syndrome or worse.  I guess they walked away from the scene of the crime. 

 The various forms of radiation sickness are described, I think, in  Eric Hall's book on Radiobiology/Biophysics.

    Joe Preisig

In a message dated 12/5/2013 2:09:34 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, jim.hardeman at gmail.com writes:

Oops --  unit error. I meant ~700 R/min. Sorry about that.

Jim

On  Thu, Dec 5, 2013 at 1:56 PM, <roseb at gdls.com> wrote:

>  Jim:
>
> Your math is a bit off, the specific gamma-ray constant  for Co-60 is
1.37
> R/hr @ 1 m.  The exposure rate from a 3,000 Ci  Co-60 source would be
much
> higher than 700 rad/h at 1 ft (~0.33  m).
>
> Henry
>
> Boyd H. Rose, CM, CIH, CHMM,  EI
> Sr. Safety and Environmental Engineering Specialist  Corporate 
> Radiation Safety Officer General Dynamics Land  Systems
> 38500 Mound Road
> Mail Zone 436-10-75
> Sterling  Heights , MI 48310-3269
> Tel: 586 825 4503
> Fax: 586 825  4015
> E-mail:  roseb at gdls.com
>
>
>
>
>
> Jim Hardeman  <jim.hardeman at gmail.com> Sent by:  
> radsafe-bounces at agni.phys.iit.edu
> 12/05/2013 01:47 PM
> Please  respond to
> "The International Radiation Protection \(Health Physics\)  Mailing
List"
>  <radsafe at agni.phys.iit.edu>
>
>
> To
> "The  International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List"
>  <radsafe at agni.phys.iit.edu>
> cc
>
> Subject
>  Re: [ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious thieves
likely
> doomed
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  Doomed? Probably so. If I did my math right, they would have been
looking
> at ~700 rad/h at a foot.
>
> The question is, will  medical personnel be able to make a proper
diagnosis
> of  ARS?
>
> Jim Hardeman -- retired :-)
> Decatur, GA
>  jim.hardeman at gmail.com
>
>
>
> On Thu, Dec 5, 2013 at  1:24 PM, Boing, Lawrence E. <lboing at anl.gov>
wrote:
>
> >  That's what I read somewhere yesterday as well ....3,000 Curies....
>  >
> > L Boing
> > lboing at anl.gov
> >
>  >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:  radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:
> >  radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Lemieux, Bryan P
>  > Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2013 12:10 PM
> > To: The  International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing
List
> >  Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious
>  thieves
> > likely doomed
> >
> > I read 3000  Ci.....
> >
> > On Dec 5, 2013 11:39 AM, "Estabrooks, H  Bates (IHK)" < 
> > estabrookshb at y12.doe.gov> wrote:
>  > Has anyone revealed/published the activity of the source?
>  >
> > Bates Estabrooks
> > Y-12 NSC
> >
>  > -----Original Message-----
> > From:  radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:
> >  radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Harrison - CDPHE,
Tony
> > Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2013 11:31 AM
> > To:  radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
> > Subject: [ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60  found in Mexico; curious
thieves
> > likely doomed
>  >
> > MEXICO CITY - The carjackers who set off international alarm  bells 
> > by absconding with a truckload of highly radioactive  material most
likely
> had
> > no idea what they were stealing  and will probably die soon from
> exposure,
> > Mexican  authorities said at the end of a brief national scare...
> >
>  > The cobalt-60 was found, removed from its casing, in a rural area
near
> the
> > town of Hueypoxtla about 25 miles from where the  truck was stolen.
> Jimenez
> > suspected that curiosity got  the better of the thieves and they
opened
> the
> > box. So far  the carjackers have not been arrested, but authorities
> expect
>  > they will not live long.
> >
> >
>  >
>
> 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/stolen-cobalt-60-found-in-mexico-curious-thieves-likely-doomed/2013/12/05/262ef990-5d66-11e3-8d24-31c016b976b2_st

ory.html?hpid=z1
>
>  >
> >
> >
> > Tony Harrison, MSPH
>  >
> > Inorganic & Radiochemistry Supervisor
>  >
> > Laboratory Services Division
> >
> >  Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
> >
> >  8100 Lowry Blvd.
> >
> > Denver, CO  80230
>  >
> > 303-692-3046 |
> tony.harrison at state.co.us_____________________________________________
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