A missing medical device from a public hospital in the Nikaia district of Athens has been found inside the hospital’s courtyard, ending the immediate search but deepening the mystery surrounding how it disappeared in the first place.
The device, a cardiology ultrasound machine used in the hospital’s emergency department and valued at approximately €25,000, went missing on Monday under unclear circumstances. Its absence was quickly noticed by hospital staff, who alerted local police and triggered an initial investigation.
Anonymous tip led to recovery
According to information provided by hospital sources, an anonymous phone call was made late on the same day to hospital security. The caller reportedly stated that the missing equipment had been left in an outdoor area within the hospital grounds.
Security personnel responded immediately, and the device was located around 3:20 a.m. the following morning. It had been placed inside a paper bag, according to the same reports.
Investigation raises security concerns
Initial findings suggest that those responsible for removing the machine were able to access the office where it was stored without any obvious signs of forced entry. This detail is now a key focus of the ongoing investigation, as authorities consider the possibility of internal knowledge or assistance in the incident.
Police have taken over the preliminary inquiry, aiming to clarify both how the device was removed and how it ended up being returned to the hospital grounds.
