Dialysis clinic out of commission

[okarol]

Dialysis clinic out of commission
   Reported by: Matt Saffer
Email: mattsaffer@clearchannel.com

Last Update: 3/07 8:30 am

         
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Police are searching for some copper thieves Friday morning.

The thieves put the lives of dozens of patients at a Northside medical center in danger, and investigators say they did it for a handful of cash. Workers at the dialysis clinic thought JEA was working on their water and just did not tell anyone when they noticed their water was not working.

Judy Rooks is the nursing manager at the Fresenius Medical Care Center at Lem Turner and Capper Road. "My staff came by and told me they couldn't wash their hands, it was about 11:20. I thought JEA was working on our water and didn't tell us.”

While 25 patients were inside the care center hooked up to life saving equipment, someone sawed off two pieces of copper piping from their plumbing. "It's a serious situation, because we need water to clean their blood," Rooks said. “"I mean literally it can build up and they can drown without it."

Patients at the clinic receive treatment three days a week, but after crooks stole the copper from the plumbing, dozens had to be taken elsewhere. Some were even rushed to local hospitals.

One of the most shocking aspects according to the nurses was how this all went down in broad daylight. 11:30 in the afternoon, and its lunchtime at a busy intersection. There are businesses on either side filled with customers, and apparently no one saw anything.

There is a lead though. A mile up the road, someone may have seen what happened. Just after responding to the dialysis center, police were called to a car wash just up the road where the same piece of copper piping was stolen from their pipes. The only difference was this time cameras were watching.

If you saw anyone near the pipes at that time, police are asking you to call them or Crimestoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.

http://www.cbs47.com/content/topstories/story.aspx?content_id=98a061c2-ff3d-4f40-bc1b-837670bca07d&rss=1

[Sluff]

And I thought I had heard it all. Damn idiots. 

[rose1999]

Idiots - hope they are caught and get what they deserve.

[Sluff]

All that for probably no more that a quart bottle of Colt45.  They used to strip aluminum siding off of houses in Milwaukee for the recycling money. How do you get away with removing aluminum siding off houses?

[KT0930]

I had heard that people had recently been taking copper from various construction sites due to the economy the way it is, but this makes me sick to my stomach to hear. (Where's that green smiley?)

[willieandwinnie]

What is this world coming to???