National Police officers have arrested a 43-year-old man after he was allegedly caught stealing various items from a room in the paediatric ward of a hospital in Alicante. The suspect, who faces charges of theft and breaking and entering, was interrupted by a nurse on the ward who immediately alerted the authorities.
Following the report, plain-clothes officers located and detained the man just minutes later while he was still inside the hospital grounds. At the time of his arrest, he was found to be in possession of items stolen from the room.
The incident began when a nurse contacted the 091 emergency room to report a theft in progress. Plain-clothes officers from the Response Operational Group of the Alicante-Norte Police Station arrived at the scene and spoke with the medical professional. She informed the officers that the same individual had been observed acting in a similar manner on previous occasions.
The nurse explained that she had spotted the man leaving one of the paediatric rooms wearing a pair of hospital pyjama bottoms and carrying a games console and an e-book reader. When she confronted him, the man left those specific items behind. She then contacted the police and the mother of the young patient assigned to the room, who was in the playroom with her child at the time.
Upon checking the room, the mother discovered that her purse, containing bank cards and identification, was missing. Shortly after, officers patrolling the hospital corridors found a man matching the description provided. During a search, they discovered the stolen purse hidden among his clothing.
The suspect was taken into custody and has since been placed at the disposal of the investigating court in Alicante following the completion of police proceedings.