The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is urging residents to remain vigilant after an Industrial Radiography Camera, containing radioactive material, was stolen from a vehicle in Kernersville.
The theft occurred on the night of February 26, 2025, when the SPEC-150 Industrial Radiography exposure camera was taken from a pickup truck parked at the Sleep Inn Motel on Heartland Drive. The owner discovered the device missing the following morning.
Samir Patel, the hotel manager at Sleep Inn, provided a brief account of the theft, stating, "Around seven o'clock in the morning, a Chevy sedan pulled in. It parked right next to a truck. The guy came out, he walked around and then he opened up the toolbox from the truck and he took the stuff and he was gone. It was less than a minute, I would say, a minute, minute, 30 seconds, and he was gone."
The stolen camera is commonly used in industrial settings to inspect materials such as welds, pipelines, storage tanks, and concrete structures, detecting internal flaws and cracks through the use of gamma radiation. While the camera is designed with shielding to ensure safety during handling by trained professionals, authorities have emphasized the potential danger of mishandling or improper exposure.
Despite the nature of the stolen device, the Kernersville police have assured the public that there is no immediate threat. However, authorities are urging anyone who encounters the device not to touch it and to immediately contact the police.
Louis Brayboy, Section Chief for the North Carolina Department of Radiation Protection, emphasized the need for caution: "And that's just to error on the side of caution, because like you said, when people do see radiation, sometimes, you know, it kind of, things kind of heighten. But because of how the device is shielded and, you know, the safety precautions that are intact with this device, that if they stay 30 feet away and make the call to 9-1-1 or to our agency, then they should be just fine."
The SPEC-150 Industrial Radiography camera utilizes a sealed radioactive source, such as Iridium-192, to detect internal defects in materials by exposing them to gamma radiation. The portable device is widely used in sectors such as manufacturing and infrastructure to inspect critical components.
Don Booth, CEO of the American Institute of Nondestructive Testing in Minnesota, noted that the camera is well-shielded and difficult to tamper with. "The camera is not easy to break into and that it is well-shielded in a titanium exterior." He further added, "The cameras should be stored in a transportation case inside a locked vehicle equipped with an alarm system."
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the theft and are seeking any information about the stolen camera. Residents with information are urged to contact the NCDHHS Radiation Protection Section at 919-621-4797.
The NCDHHS is committed to ensuring public safety and urges caution in handling any potentially dangerous materials.
