Doctors’ bags taken at Taumarunui

Press, 2 September 1981, Page 11

Doctors’ bags taken at Taumarunui

PA Hamilton The Taumarunui police and doctors are worried that someone in the town could die because a thief keeps stealing doctors' medical bags. The five doctors in the town have had their bags taken “dozens of times” in the last four months in raids on their homes, surgeries, and cars, said Detective Sergeant G. J. Bell, of Taumarunui. Syringes and hard drugs were all that were taken from the bags, which were' found later. The police believe that only one “determined” person is involved in the thefts. One of the biggest worries for doctors and the people of Taumarunui was that someone could die if a doctor was called out at night to attend a heart attack victim or asthmatic and did not have his medical bag. Sergeant Bell said.

It seemed that a drug addict in the town was unable to obtain enough drugs through illicit sources and

had been driven to steal from the doctors. Precautions taken by doctors made things harder for the thief, but bags were still being taken or attempts being made to take them. Sergeant Bell said. The doctors’ cars were the main target.