A nurse at Waukesha (Wis.) Memorial Hospital allegedly stole a patient's wallet containing $2,585 in cash while the patient received treatment, according to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Jay Reiners, a 33-year-old nurse, was reportedly seen on surveillance video entering the area where the patient's belongings were temporarily held before it was placed in a more secure area.
When hospital security interrogated Mr. Reiners, he reportedly admitted to taking the cash. However, when law enforcement stepped in, he claimed he was pressured into an admission by hospital staff.
According to the complaint, Mr. Reiners allegedly told hospital officials he placed a whiteboard eraser and tissue box into a security bag that he labelled with the patient's name. He then took the original bag that held the cash into the bathroom, removed it and threw away the wallet.
Following investigations by hospital security and the Waukesha Police Department, Mr. Reiners was charged with theft, which carries a maximum penalty of three and a half years in prison, as well as a fine of up to $10,000. He is no longer employed at the hospital.
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