Nurse Caught Stealing COVID-19 Vaccine From Detroit TCF Center, Arrested

A nurse was arrested Monday after she was caught stealing two doses of COVID-19 vaccine from TCF Center in Detroit, Michigan.

TCF Center is designated as a vaccine distribution site for the city of Detroit. At least 109,000 people have received their COVID-19 vaccine jabs since Jan. 13.

The unidentified nurse was accused of pocketing two syringes of the Moderna vaccine. She was caught in the act by another nurse at the convention center who alerted the authorities, Click on Detroit reported.

According to reports, the suspect was stopped before she could sneak out of the building with the stolen syringes. The vaccine doses were confiscated by police as evidence and were unable to be used.

Detroit City Chief Operating Officer Hakim Berry told WXYZ-TV that strict security measures are in place to safeguard the vaccines and are escorted by officials while being taken to nursing centers.

"Our vaccines are stored in a secured location," Berry told Click on Detroit. "Even when we deliver, they are with a security guard. We account for every syringe that we give out."

It was unclear whether the nurse was stealing the vaccines for her family or friends or for selling purposes. The accused wasn’t reportedly affiliated with the convention center but one of the 200 contract employees working there.

The nurse remains in custody and has asked for legal representation, the outlet reported.

The case will be overseen by the Wayne County Prosecutor and the nurse is likely to face two felony charges of theft of narcotics and theft inside a building. She also reportedly faces the prospect of her nursing license getting canceled.

TCF Center administered nearly 4,700 vaccines following the day of the attempted theft, according to WXYZ-TV.

Healthcare officials in each state in the U.S. were forced to speed up their vaccine rollout efforts after President Joe Biden directed states to make all adults eligible for coronavirus vaccines through May 1. The U.S. has achieved the 100 million vaccination milestone on March. 12.