Whether purses, cell phones, endoscopy devices, or pot plants stolen in German hospitals, and what is not nailed firmly. The long fingers take advantage of the anonymity in the often-vast complexes of buildings and the vulnerability of patients. The annual damage is in the millions. The hospitals only have limited opportunities to stop the mischief stop: you need to practice the balancing act between openness for the visitors of the sick and their safety. The patients Association warns, however, stricter entrance controls.
Even a dog was stolen in the hospital
Although there are no nationwide statistics, but what is the extent of reach of the offences, show country surveys. The latest Figures are from the year 2017. In the most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia, were registered, for example, according to the state office of criminal investigation (LKA) almost 6500 theft cases with a loss of 3.5 million euros in hospitals. A negative record had been achieved in the previous year, with a loss of 8.2 million euros, with only a slightly higher number of cases. For comparison: in 2011 was as a result of 4715 thief is a damage of almost two million Euro steels.
Also in Hessian hospitals a lot is lost: 2017, for example, in addition to jewelry, clothing and an umbrella are also deep-frozen, a captive bolt gun or a Board game. Total damage: nearly 1.8 million Euro. The clear-up rate in the 1836 cases was about 16 percent. Also a dog was once registered as stolen property.
In Baden-Württemberg, the amount of damages 2017 reached a peak of almost 2.75 million euros. In 2013, there were 1.8 million Euro, but the number of cases in which a doctor practices included, at the time was 3200 and above the latest value of just under 3000. The Trend of declining case numbers in the case of a higher amount of damage in multiple provinces, for example in Thuringia with 384 thefts and damage to a volume of around 400,000 euros in the year 2017, according to the 496 cases, and a loss of 118,000 euros in the previous year.
Also clinic staff to be robbed
In Saxony-Anhalt the most value were stolen things from the patient’s rooms. 231 cases there were, according to the LKA 2017. Medical devices have been stolen in the vorvergangenem of the year 18 Times, narcotics 11 Times.
In Rhineland-Palatinate, an increase in the number of the thief, made of steels of high-quality endoscopic equipment between July 2015 and November 2017 for excitement. There the damage was probably in the millions. A theft of medical equipment in the value of Euro 500,000 made in 2017 in Brandenburg, the amount of damage fast.
On the mischief of the Gangs, who had it in for medical Equipment that was the reaction of the University hospital Tübingen with the hiring of a security service, as the Commercial Director Gabriele Sunday portrays. Tübingen was spared, and the thieves are now in focus. “But there are always things that get away.” The subjects are also objects of value of the employees. Among other things copper cable had been stolen, as new lines were laid. The Berliner Charité is committed to the security service, dealt-the-clock mainly with prevention measures.
“What is not, cannot be stolen”
The hospitals do, in General, difficult to counteract. “Hospitals are large and Complex, with uncontrolled access,” says police spokesman Frank Scheulen from Düsseldorf. For thieves, it was easy to come to the stations and the drawers and cabinets in empty rooms to rummage through. Therefore, patients should at least use existing lockers.
Also nurses are in the meantime sensitized for the problems, says Lothar Kratz, spokesman for the hospital Association NRW. However, it is difficult to keep track of them. “We in NRW, more than 4.6 million patients a year in hospitals. If each of them receives two or three people to visit, then three-quarters of all residents are of NRW once a year in the hospital.”
The University hospital of Mannheim does, according to spokesman Philip Egermann their utmost to prevent theft. “We draw on all of the channels, preferably no items of value to take to the hospital – what is not, and can not be stolen.” The Appeals to the patients on the wards, in patients ‘ rooms, in the rules of the house and on the Internet appearance. Who does not wool-partout forgo jewelry or expensive electronic devices, you could place it in the tank Cabinet. The house only take on the liability. All thefts could not prevent stresses Egermann. “We want to stay open so that family and friends can visit the patient.” The is their health.
The General patients ‘ Association wants, however, stricter controls in the entrance areas of hospitals. There would have to sign in visitors and say whom they wanted to visit on which Station, and where applicable, ID cards. “Not everyone should be able to in a clinic walk in,” says Association President Christian Zimmermann. With electronic data processing could easily assess whether the visitors have good intentions.
