A 44-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday by security guards at the Clínico Hospital after stealing from several rooms. The National Police is investigating the events.
The security guards of the Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria detained a 44-year-old man of Central European nationality on Tuesday, August 25, accused of stealing valuable items from up to four floors of the facility. The arrest occurred after the security team set a trap for the suspect, a well-known figure in Málaga's hospitals.
According to health sources, he had been seen lurking around the rooms of the Clínico days before, where he allegedly committed small thefts, such as taking a wallet containing 10 euros. On that occasion, he was allowed to leave due to the minor nature of the crime, but it was assumed he would return.
At 14:45 hours, the guards were alerted that a man with the described characteristics was suspiciously wandering through the rooms. A doctor found him leaving one of them, occupied by an elderly person alone. The security agents followed his path through the sixth, fifth, fourth, and third floors, using the surveillance cameras for assistance.
Shortly after, another call reported that an elderly woman had a backpack missing from her room, just as her companion left. The backpack was found on the fourth floor, without documents or valuable items inside.
Coordinated with the management of the facility, the guards intercepted the man in the lobby of the main entrance. When asked which room he was in or if he was a relative of any patient, he could not respond. Initially, he claimed the backpack was his and that he had forgotten it, but the guards already knew he had discarded it on the fourth floor.
After taking him to isolated premises for a search, they found the wallet with the elderly woman's documents, as well as money, chains, watches, and several packs of cigarettes that he had in his pockets and in a bag. After initially denying it, he admitted to the facts.
The patient's family confirmed that the backpack and wallet were theirs, and the National Police was notified, who handcuffed the individual. The agents also interviewed a doctor who had heard another patient's screams upon seeing someone in his room; when shown a photograph of the detainee, the doctor recognized him.
The affected patient's family is going to file a complaint, while the Police investigate the events and determine the possible criminal classification. The detainee is said to have acted similarly in other hospitals in Málaga, according to consulted sources.
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