Nevada Ex-Marine Steals Face Masks From Veterans Hospital To Give To Homeless People

An ex-marine from Reno, Nevada, was arrested for stealing around 200 surgical masks from a Veteran Administration Hospital which he allegedly handed out to the homeless.

Peter Lucas, 35, whom the station identified as a former Marine, appeared in court on Wednesday for stealing at least four boxes containing 50 surgical masks each from the Ioannis A. Lougaris VA Medical Center in Reno over a five-day span on March, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada stated.

According to the New York Post, Lucas was caught on surveillance cameras at the facility stealing the boxes from the supply carts assigne to him starting March 19 and he would proceed to hide these boxes under his jacket before exiting the hospital.

Lucas, who had been charged with theft of health care property, admitted to the authorities that he stole the four boxes of masks and insisted that he gave them out to homeless people, KOLO-TV reported.

“We will not allow the theft of personal protective equipment to go undeterred, endangering the safety of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals protecting our communities,” U.S. Attorney Nicholas Trutanich said in a statement.

Lucas is a single father raising three children.

If convicted, he could face up to one year in prison and pay a $100,000 fine.

Meanwhile, the hospital's officials told the investigators that they ordered 94,000 masks in January but so far, only received "less than one-third of that amount" and it is still unclear when the rest of the supplies will arrive.