A man posing as a delivery driver allegedly stole dozens of coronavirus testing kits from an Arizona health clinic.
The Tucson Police Department said the man entered the El Rio Health Center Friday night and took 29 coronavirus tests before driving off in what appeared to be a red Dodge Charger. The kits, however, are “essentially useless” to the thief unless he has access to a lab with the proper equipment to analyze the tests, according to officials.
STOLEN COVID-19 TEST KITS. The pictured suspect stole 29 unused test kits from the El Rio Health Clinic. Anyone w/information about this suspect is asked to call 88-CRIME. You can remain anonymous. Please see link for additional details/photos -> https://t.co/BqJntwqEcv pic.twitter.com/449RKh7d3M
— Tucson Police Dept (@Tucson_Police) March 22, 2020
Health workers noticed the kits were gone on Saturday morning. Police have described the suspect as a Hispanic male of large build in his 30s.
The United States is facing a short supply of coronavirus test kits, but the White House vowed to distribute 27 million kits by the close of March.
“We promised 1 to 4 million, there’s 10 million tests that are in the market now,” U.S. Assistant Health Secretary Brett Giroir said Saturday, adding that 17 million more will be distributed as well.
“But not every lab can run every test, and not every test is self-contained,” Giroir said. “So the important question is not how many tests are on the market, but to make sure that every segment of the market has the kind of tests that they can use.”
