Cobalt-60 Truck Hijacked in Mexico Found VIDEO
Mexican authorities announced on Wednesday that they had recovered both a recently stolen truck and its radioactive contents.
The vehicle, which was carrying cobalt-60 from a hospital to a waste storage facility, was hijacked at gunpoint from a gas station on Nov. 28 in Tepojaco, 22 miles north of Mexico City, according to the USA Today.
While the isotope is commonly used in radiotherapy, the theft sparked concern due to cobalt-60's ability to also be used in a dirty bomb. However, officials believe that the thieves were not aware of the cargo they were stealing.
"Our suspicion is that they had no idea what they had stolen," said Fernando Hidalgo, spokesman for the Hidalgo state prosecutor, according to Reuters. "This is a area where robberies are common."
When the materials were finally located, the contents were located nearly a half a mile away from the truck, according to NBC.
"At the time the truck was stolen, the (radioactive) source was properly shielded. However, the source could be extremely dangerous to a person if removed from the shielding, or if it was damaged," said the International Atomic Energy Agency in a statement.
If the thieves were to come in contact with the material, they would suffer burns and could die within minutes, according to the USA Today.
No suspects have yet been located.
