Police: Employee stole medical equipment to sell
Police arrested a supply room employee for Albuquerque Ambulance on Tuesday in connection with the theft of dozens of pieces medical equipment, some of which were sold on eBay for thousands of dollars.
According to an affidavit filed in Metropolitan Court, 33-year-old Jerimeice Johns is charged with embezzlement and receiving stolen property.
Police say they were alerted to the theft after a patient went into Presbyterian Hospital wearing a pulse oximeter in late December.
“Nurses treating the patient recognized the device and knew it belonged to Albuquerque Ambulance,” a detective wrote in the complaint.
A supervisor at Presbyterian found out the patient’s mother had bought the device on eBay months after it was checked out by an Albuquerque Ambulance employee and never returned, according to the complaint.
Police say the Albuquerque Ambulance deputy chief found that the eBay seller “yousave365,” identified later as Johns, also had for sale several other medical instruments “identical to those used” by the company.
At the time of his arrest, Johns was employed by Albuquerque Ambulance as a logistics shift leader in the supply room, according to the complaint.
A statement released by Albuquerque Ambulance on Wednesday said the company has “strict” policies and procedures in place that address “employee conduct.”
“Employee theft is unacceptable and results in termination,” the statement read.
According to the complaint, an internal audit found that 87 pieces of equipment were missing from the supply room.
Police say the selling history for “yousave365” contained 52 medical instruments, seven of which had already sold for over $4,000 altogether.
“We take our obligations to the communities we serve very seriously,” the company’s statement said. “We are grateful to the Albuquerque Police Department for their willingness and ability to assist us.”