Crime scene hospital ward - Theft in hospitals on the rise - clinics invest
The number of theft cases in hospitals in North Rhine-Westfalen is on the rise. In 2023, a total of 4,254 cases were reported, an increase of 17.9 percent, according to the North Rhine-Westfalen Criminal Office. "In many cases, money, electrical appliances, and jewelry are stolen." However, the police criminal statistics also show that in the five-year comparison, the number of reported cases decreased by 20.8 percent - in 2019, there were even 5,371 reported theft cases in hospitals. The LKA noted that the data refers to hospitals, but also nursing homes and sanatoriums. Criminal offenses were recorded both within the institutions and in their "immediate vicinity."
Who is behind these crimes? Are they usually lone individuals or possibly organized groups or specialized gangs that steal in clinics? No valid statements can be made about this, the LKA stated. "In many cases, there is no known suspect."
Free Access in Hospitals
In the approximately 330 hospitals in NRW, around 4.1 million patient women and men are treated stationarily each year, in addition to about the same number of ambulantly treated people, reports Matthias Blum, managing director of the Hospital Society North Rhine-Westphalia. Visitors and escorts also come and go. There are no access controls in the classical sense.
"Hospitals must weigh the free access for visitors and caregivers against security for patients. It is often beneficial for the healing process and ultimately for the health of the patients if relatives and acquaintances visit during a stationary stay," Blum says.
The theft problem has existed for many years, Blum says. Patients, relatives, visitors, and even the hospitals themselves are affected. "Although the staff are sensitized to the danger, it is almost impossible for them to control every person who stays on a ward due to the demanding nature of their work," Krankenhaeuser and employees are vigilant. Personnel cannot be held liable for valuables. The staff are fully occupied with medical and nursing care.
Even small security measures are important
To prevent thefts, hospitals already warn patients before a planned stationary stay that they should bring as few valuable items as possible, emphasizes Blum. Cell phones should be given to relatives or trusted persons during interventions or treatments. "Especially because the risk of theft remains unchanged, many hospitals have also invested in the equipment of patient rooms with a safe," Blum describes.
The LKA advises against bringing large sums of money or valuable jewelry and packing or handing over valuable items to the administration. On the wards, doors should always be closed when leaving for a short time. "Empty rooms attract thieves," warns the LKA.
- The rise in theft cases at crime scenes within hospitals in Düsseldorf, a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, has also been noticed by the LKA North Rhine-Westphalia.
- The infirmary of one of the hospitals in North Rhine-Westphalia was a target for a jewelry theft last month, adding to the growing concern about crime in hospitals.
- The LKA North Rhine-Westphalia recommends hospitals in the region to implement basic security measures, such as closing doors and using safes, to reduce the number of thefts in their clinics.
- The North Rhine-Westphalen Criminal Office reported that 4,254 cases of theft were reported in hospitals across North Rhine-Westphalia in 2023, with jewelry being one of the most commonly stolen items.
- The Crime Prevention Department of LKA North Rhine-Westphalia suggests that patients visiting hospitals in northern Germany should avoid bringing large sums of money or valuable jewelry to minimize their risk of being a victim of theft at the crime scene.
