Instrument missing in action

Police are seeking a piece of scientific equipment worth $40,000 that was removed from Mangles Bay.

The equipment is known as an acoustic doppler current profiler, which measures the movements of particles at different vertical levels.

Picture: The missing instrument measures movement

It is an electronic instrument that is built into waterproof casing and is designed to be deployed looking up from the seabed.

It has battery and data recording reserves exceeding one month and the organisation that deployed it is keen to retrieve the device, including the data it has on it.

Police said it was deployed in Mangles Bay, but when the organisation went to retrieve it, it could not be relocated at or around the deployment position.

Police suspect the equipment may have been hooked up with a boat anchor and be sitting on someone’s boat or in their front garden.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.