Janitor tries to sell stolen medical equipment

IRVINE, CA — A janitor at Kaiser Permanente Hospital has been arrested on charges of suspicion of grand theft and possession of stolen property for allegedly stealing $150,000 worth of medical equipment and attempting to sell it to a used medical supply dealer, according to the Orange County Register.
Luis Curiel was arrested by the Irvine Police Department after Lee Allard, president of Pre-owned Endoscopes Inc., became suspicious because Curiel was trying to sell the equipment for prices far below its market value, the story stated.
According to the story, the equipment was worth $60,000 retail, but Curiel was selling it for only $24,000.
Allard, who met with Curiel in a hotel room where he wrote down the serial numbers to the equipment, later called the equipment manufacturer and the hospital before determining the situation was suspicious, the story noted.
Allard said: "I thought it was ridiculously low priced, so that set off a red flag, and he wanted cash only, not a business check. Also, the equipment usually comes in a carrying case, and it was just loose. I'm really glad I didn't end up holding the bag. Let the buyer beware, and if something seems too good to be true, it probably is."
Two Olympus endoscopes, which police believe were stolen sometime in July, have been recovered; the rest of Kaiser Hospital's missing equipment has yet to be located, the story added.
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