BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut man has been arrested on charges he stole a soil-testing device containing radioactive material from the trunk of a car and then sold it to a local pawn shop.
Authorities say 28-year-old Carlos Hernandez, of Bridgeport, is charged with second-degree larceny and credit card fraud. It’s unclear whether Hernandez has retained a lawyer.
Authorities allege Hernandez stole the moisture-density gauge Tuesday morning in Bridgeport from the car of a technician who works for HAKS, a New York-based consulting firm offering material testing services. The device was recovered later that day at East Coast Pawn.
The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says the device was not damaged.
The device contains enough cesium-137 and americium-241 to make a person ill, but not a lethal dose.
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