Mexican truck thieves make a fatal mistake

[baldeagle]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -town.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jmra]

I wonder what they expected to find when they opened it.

[psijac]

I was expecting terrorist to drive that truck across the border. I suppose I can expect that to happen in the next 5-10 years and then we can start asking about such in our southern border

[gthaustex]

Oops...

[Keith B]

I think they are blowing the exposure thing way out of proportion to try and flush out the thieves. Unless they tried to open the containment unit, then there would be little to no radioactive exposure.

[SewTexas]

that's apparently what they did....at least that's the way I understood it on last night's news article.

[BigGuy]

I think they are blowing the exposure thing way out of proportion to try and flush out the thieves. Unless they tried to open the containment unit, then there would be little to no radioactive exposure.

The container holding the cobalt-60 was found about a kilometer (half a mile) from the truck and had been opened, said Juan Eibenschutz Hartman, head of Mexico's National Commission for Nuclear Security and Safeguards.
There was less than 40 grams (1.4 ounces) of the hazardous material inside the capsule.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/06/world/ame ... ive-theft/

Looks like they opened it.

[suthdj]

I think they are blowing the exposure thing way out of proportion to try and flush out the thieves. Unless they tried to open the containment unit, then there would be little to no radioactive exposure.

The first article I read said since it was used so it was not much of a danger, after they found it, oh now it wil kill them.

[Dave2]

I think they are blowing the exposure thing way out of proportion to try and flush out the thieves. Unless they tried to open the containment unit, then there would be little to no radioactive exposure.

The first article I read said since it was used so it was not much of a danger, after they found it, oh now it wil kill them.

It's possible that the "not much of a danger" statement was made under the assumption that whoever had it wouldn't actually open up a radioactive waste container and look inside.

[suthdj]

I think they are blowing the exposure thing way out of proportion to try and flush out the thieves. Unless they tried to open the containment unit, then there would be little to no radioactive exposure.

The first article I read said since it was used so it was not much of a danger, after they found it, oh now it wil kill them.

It's possible that the "not much of a danger" statement was made under the assumption that whoever had it wouldn't actually open up a radioactive waste container and look inside.

Nope they were refering to it being used as a dirty bomb.

[CHLLady]

Curiosity killed the cat.

[jmra]

PACHUCA, Mexico (AP) — Federal police blocked access Friday to a central Mexico hospital where six people were reported to have been admitted with radiation exposure.

An official familiar with the case confirmed Mexican media reports that the six have been admitted to the general hospital in the city of Pachuca and may have been exposed to a stolen source of highly radioactive cobalt-60.

http://news.yahoo.com/police-block-mexi ... 02180.html

[johncanfield]

Strong contenders for the 2013 Darwin Awards .

[tbrown]

It's too bad the thieves will not literally glow in the dark for the rest of their lives.

[JSThane]

The funny thing was, the Mexican gov't and media was making a big deal over this, in large part to get the thieves' attention with a big flashing "Don't open that, Stupid!" sign, so the thieves wouldn't open it, but instead return it or "anonymously" call in as to where it could be "found." From what I gathered, they had an idea who took it and weren't terribly worried about it winding up in terrorists' hands, only that some idiot who thought he could black-market the contents of the trailer on Craigslist or eBay would accidentally kill himself with it.

Of course, they opened it. Pandora sure bit them in the backsides.