Warning after hazardous substance stolen from lorry

Police are urging the public to be vigilant after a container carrying a hazardous substance was stolen from a lorry in Northumberland.
Northumbria Police say that the stolen container looks similar to the one pictured and has the word "hazardous" on it.Northumbria Police say that the stolen container looks similar to the one pictured and has the word "hazardous" on it.
Northumbria Police say that the stolen container looks similar to the one pictured and has the word "hazardous" on it.

The incident happened when the lorry was parked at Ramparts Business Park in Berwick.

The lorry driver was making his way from Aberdeen to an address in Billingham to deliver a sample of soil, and stopped at the business park to sleep on the night of Tuesday April 14.

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On the morning of Wednesday April 15 he noticed the container had been taken from his vehicle and he contacted police.

The sample, which is believed to contain corrosion products, hydrocarbons, and low concentrations of heavy metals and naturally occurring radioactive material, is harmful if ingested or inhaled.

Officers have carried out extensive area searches and reviewed local CCTV but the substance is yet to be traced.

The lorry was parked at the site from 9.30pm and the driver noticed the container missing at 6.30am.

The container had a label marked ‘hazardous’.

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Police believe it may have been disposed of, and officers are urging the public not touch the container if they find it, and to contact police immediately on 101 quoting incident number 292 of 150420.

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