Re: Is it possible to dislodge the radioactive stuff from a smoke detector?

Is it possible?  Yes.  Is it easy?  No.  The radioactive material in a 
smoke detector is Americium-241, and it's about 1 microcurie, a very small 
amount.  The source in a smoke detector is inside a plastic housing, and 
the source itself has a metal cover.  So, just opening a smoke detector is 
not enough to get at the radioactive element.  This person would also have 
to open the plastic cage around the source, and then take a screwdriver or 
a vice to break open the source itself.  It actually takes quite a bit of 
work to get any material out.  The chances that his probing actually 
opened anything up are slim to none.