Radioactive material missing from construction site

Sunday 15th March, 11:54 AM JST

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Disillusioned at 06:30 PM JST - 15th March

the incident is being treated as a case of theft by the police.

Why would the cops steal it? Ha, ha!

who remembers that wacko scientist that exposed his colleague to radiation cos she would go out with him? Could there be a copy-cat case in the making?
Mookoo at 06:46 PM JST - 15th March

I thought Japan is a safe country. We can leave anything anywhere and it will not be touched. Lost wallets returned unopened. Cars parked with keys in the ignition. Wait, that was just the setting of a fiction story the Japanese are pawning overseas.
USNinJapan2 at 09:40 PM JST - 15th March

To put things into perspective, the level of radioactivity of this missing/stolen material is thousands of times higher/stronger than that of the radiaoactive fluid that leaked from the submarine USS Houston. But of course proper perspective is lost on some in Japan... : )
JohnBecker at 10:23 PM JST - 15th March

The device they're talking about is a nuclear density meter. I don't now exactly how it works, but it's used in civil engineering work to verify that the density of substances such as concrete or asphalt are to specification.

In the U.S., companies and persons who use this device have to be certified by the government. When the instrument is intact, there is no radiation hazard at all. If the person who stole it is ignorant enough to ignore the warning placards all over the thing and dismantle it, he'll be exposed to harmful levels of radiation.

Before anyone starts speculating, this thing doesn't contain enough radioactive material to make a "dirty bomb".

@Mookoo: Japan is a safer country than most, and people there are mostly honest, just as people are in most countries. The Japanese have not been "pawning" this story overseas. Visitors to Japan have been bringing back that impression of Japan for decades.
shouganaika at 01:49 AM JST - 16th March

this happens a few times a year. still, keep fingerprinting all those terrorists trying to come into Narita and we'll be safe. no homegrown loonies here of course
telecasterplayer at 03:17 AM JST - 16th March

There's got to be a better way to measure ground density other than with something that can be turned into a dirty bomb.
sharky1 at 06:29 AM JST - 16th March

actually it would be a clean bomb, no co2 emissions or anything. Seriously though, leaving potentially harmful radioactive material out in the open without any security measures is pretty stupid (was looking for a better word, but there isn't one) Sure the thief needs to be prosecuted, but they should also prosecute the people responsible for just leaving this stuff out to be stolen. Plain and simple negligence to public safety.
IvanCoughalot at 07:29 AM JST - 16th March

Did it fall down the back of Homer's shirt?
n3312 at 10:39 AM JST - 16th March

I think the article was referring to this: http://training.ce.washington.edu/WSDOT/Modules/07construction/nucleargauge.htm
Wakarimasen at 12:00 PM JST - 16th March

Hope they don't throw it away recklessly or next we'll have Godzilla on the rampage
soldave at 12:32 PM JST - 16th March

Good job this wasn't done on an American base or similar. Will be awaiting the anti-nuclear protest report on here soon. Or maybe not...
Orions3rdEye at 04:41 PM JST - 16th March

just hope who ever stole it turns into some kind of super hero who can compensate for the incompetence of the Japanese police force. Although for that you might need 2 super heros. Lets keep our fingers crossed that a friend aided in the theft.
yawmin at 01:39 AM JST - 17th March

i always wondered why things are not bolted down to the ground (ie benches, crosswalk flags, signs) i always thought that couldnt happen in america because too many people would just take it, even if they have no use for it. I cant believe they would apply that trust to radioactive material. Citizen's of any country are NOT that trustworthy. Its just asking for major problems.
ka_chan at 07:01 AM JST - 17th March

Ingredients for a dirty bomb. So what do they me by safe?
HARUHI at 01:05 PM JST - 22nd March

Radioactive material...Doesn't sound "safe" to me.