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

[Dan McCarn]

Dear Group:

If this is an old radio teletherapy source heading toward disposal, then
the actual activity (assuming about 30 years of use) would be less than 1/6
the labeled activity - so perhaps 500 Ci might be more accurate.

Thoughts?

Dan ii

Dan W McCarn, Geologist
108 Sherwood Blvd
Los Alamos, NM 87544-3425
+1-505-672-2014 (Home – New Mexico)
+1-505-670-8123 (Mobile - New Mexico)
HotGreenChile at gmail.com (Private email) HotGreenChile at gmail dot com


On Thu, Dec 5, 2013 at 12:47 PM, Perle, Sandy <sperle at mirion.com> wrote:

> Hello John,
>
> I would not presume that this kind of incident or others would not happen
> here in the USA or any other country. Things do happen and we have seen
> those things happen in the past. I would never state that there is no
> potential for a source to be unattended. For instance, there are numerous
> notices where department of transportation sources are stolen from
> government vehicles.
>
> Regards,
>
> Sandy
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Dec 5, 2013, at 11:42 AM, "Joel.Love" <Joel.Love at carle.com> wrote:
> >
> > 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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