Man Arrested for Stealing Oxygen Pipes Twice in One Day from Bucharest Hospital

A shocking incident at Pantelimon Hospital in Bucharest has highlighted a brazen disregard for public safety and the well-being of vulnerable patients. A 65-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly stealing vital oxygen supply pipes, not once, but twice in a single day. This act of theft, reportedly driven by the intention to sell the copper pipes as scrap metal, placed numerous patients at risk and severely disrupted hospital operations.

The first theft occurred around 4:10 PM, when the individual allegedly scaled a two-meter fence to steal a copper pipe approximately two meters long. Although police and oxygen supply company representatives were called and the issue was resolved within 30 minutes, the hospital's backup oxygen system and a large reserve tank ensured patients were not immediately affected. However, the audacity of the perpetrator was underscored when, just three hours later, he reportedly returned to steal a second pipe.

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Following the activities carried out in the case, today, April 17, 2026, police officers from the General Directorate of Police of the Municipality of Bucharest - Police Station 9 located, on a street in Sector 2, a man, aged 65, suspected of committing the act.

This second theft caused a critical failure in the oxygen supply system, forcing medical personnel to manually ventilate patients and request assistance from firefighters. Surveillance cameras reportedly captured the suspect damaging a pipe connecting the main supply to a large oxygen tank. Authorities successfully identified and apprehended the suspect, recovering the stolen pipes from a scrap metal collection center. As reported by Adevărul, the man is now facing charges of aggravated theft. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by essential services and the disturbing lengths to which some individuals will go, even at the expense of human lives.

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The investigations are continued by police officers from Police Station 9, under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Sector 2 Court, regarding the commission of the crime of aggravated theft.