California man steals coronavirus specimen from hospital and dumps it in shopping center, gets arrested
DAVIS, CALIFORNIA: A 40-year-old man has been accused of stealing a specimen of coronavirus from a hospital on April 11.
Shaun Lamar Moore reportedly stole the sample from Sutter Davis Hospital in California before it was due to get tested. The staff at the medical facility witnessed the accused dashing in the hospital and taking the specimen at around 1.30 pm before making off on his bike.
The stolen sample was later discovered in CVS at The Marketplace shopping center at around 6.15 pm abandoned in a shopping cart. The seals were still in place when it was removed from the location.
“Officers retrieved the specimen and Sutter Davis Hospital was able to confirm it was the missing specimen,” Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel told Davis Enterprise. “The lab also confirmed that several layers of protective packing were secure and the specimen had not been tampered with," Pytel added.
Shortly before noon, Moore was taken into custody while riding his bicycle in the 1700 block of Cowell Boulevard, the Davis Police Department said. He was later booked into Yolo County Jail on burglary charges.
“Police are familiar with Moore and are determining whether any mental health conditions played a factor in this incident. Although the incident is very serious, detectives do not believe he intended to harm himself or others," the authorities said in a statement, the Sun reported.
According to Deputy Police Chief Paul Doroshov, their department started receiving tips about the suspect throughout the night after their officer talked to members of the city's homeless community.
The suspect was familiar to the police and is said to be suffering from mental health issues. He was to be interrogated to find out what was his exact motive behind the burglary.
His image was captured in the CCTV camera footage inside the hospital. Moore was seen wearing dark-colored clothing, including what appeared to be a UC Davis sweatshirt, gloves, and a medical mask at the time of the burglary.
“Sutter Davis Hospital is committed to providing high-quality care to the Yolo County community and beyond. We take this situation very seriously. We are conducting our own internal investigation, as well as working closely with county officials and law enforcement on the matter," a Sutter Health spokesperson released the following statement regarding the incident.
Before Moore was arrested Pytel also confirmed, "Sutter Davis Hospital is working cooperatively with detectives and was able to provide a photograph of the person, which is being released with the desire that someone is able to help locate him."
There are over 21,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 651 deaths so far in California. According to California's Department of Public Health, currently, 22 public health labs in California are testing samples for COVID-19.
Among these, the Richmond Laboratory is expected to provide diagnostic testing within 48-hour turnaround time. "This means California public health officials will get test results sooner so that patients will get the best care," the website said.
California has partnered with Verily’s Project Baseline to launch a community COVID-19 testing program to expand screening and testing for high-risk individuals in certain areas of the state.