Radioactive nuclear gauge stolen from North Vancouver recovered: RCMP

A nuclear gauge stolen from North Vancouver last week was found in Surrey, B.C., on Sunday, police say.

The device used to measure soil moisture density was inside a car that was stolen from the underground parking lot of a fitness facility on Marine Drive near Mackay Road, around 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 13.

The nuclear gauge, a Troxler 3430, contained a “small amount of radioactive material,” RCMP warned at the time.

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Police cautioned anyone who came into contact with the gauge that they could experience the effects of radiation after 24 hours of exposure if the device was tampered with or not stored properly. Mounties urged anyone handling the device to leave it sealed.

The device was found by a member of the public who recognized it from media coverage around 1 p.m. on Sunday near 176th Street and 64th Avenue.

“Police and fire (officials) attended and determined that while the device is ‘radioactive’ the threat to the public was minimal,” Surrey RCMP Sgt. Chris De Hart told Global News.

“The owner of the device has attended the scene and retrieved his stolen property. Unfortunately, his vehicle is still not recovered from what I can tell.”

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The stolen vehicle is a grey 2004 Mazda 6 with the B.C. licence plate VG377B.

Anyone with information on the theft is asked to call the North Vancouver RCMP’s non-emergency line at 604-985-1311.