Oh darn, lost another nuclear device

Who walks away from a vehicle with a nuclear device in it?  And how much did they get for it?

The state's Department of Environmental Protection said the device, a portable nuclear gauge, is often used at construction sites to "evaluate the properties of building and road-bed materials." But if mishandled or damaged, people could be exposed to radiation contamination.

  NBC

Surely there's a better way.

[E]nvironmental authorities said they believe the gauge "may have been damaged after the theft of the vehicle." That's why officials are urging anyone who encounters the device to not handle it and contact the authorities to allow a trained individual to recover it.

Exposure to low-levels of radiation may not result in an immediate health risk, but can cause a small increase in the risk of cancer over a lifetime, according to the the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. High levels of radiation exposure over a short period of time can cause nausea and vomiting.

So I wonder why they think it may have been damaged. I don't think we're getting the whole story.