North Van RCMP warns of stolen car containing nuclear gauge

Mounties in North Vancouver are issuing a warning, saying a vehicle that “contained a nuclear soil moisture density gauge” was stolen Tuesday.

The RCMP says the devices are used in construction and other industrial sectors to measure and test various materials. The gauge that was in the grey 2004 Mazda 6 is a Troxler 3430 model and contains a small amount of radioactive material, Mounties explain.

“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. It adds the device “could pose a health risk to the person who took it.”

While police say the nuclear soil moisture density gauge “does not produce enough radiation to be a risk to the broader public,” they are warning anyone handling the device to keep it in its sealed case to prevent being exposed.

The vehicle, similar to the one pictured above, was reported stolen around 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 13 from an underground parking lot at a fitness centre on Marine Drive and Mackay Road.

The Mazda 6 has a licence plate of VG3 77B.

The RCMP is asking anyone who sees the stolen Mazda 6 or the nuclear gauge, or anyone who has information to contact police at 604-985-1311.