Great Ormond Street Hospital targeted by thieves

Last year thieves stole thousands of pounds worth of toys and goods from London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital.

It has been revealed that last year staff at the hospital, which is Britain’s largest hospital for unwell children, made 70 stolen property reports, out of almost 200 theft reports since 2011.

The toys, which are worth tens of thousands of pounds, include gadgets like games consoles, iPads, phones, DVD players, and webcams children used to talk to relatives.

Some of the items stolen include a Nintendo Wii, PSP games console, iPads, board games, phones and even shoes.

Thieves even stole baby toys, medical equipment, beds and nurses’ uniforms.

A spokeswoman for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust said: “Our hospital is a busy public space with hundreds of visitors every day and, like many public areas in London, opportunist thefts of personal items sometimes occur.

“We work closely with the police to carry out reviews and improve security, and all staff receive training to remind them of the importance of remaining vigilant and ensuring both their own items and those of our patients and families are kept safe and secure.

“We are also continuing to expand our CCTV network and operate a robust security presence within public areas of the hospital.”

In 2012, heartless criminals caused outrage when Christmas presents for children in intensive care at the hospital were stolen. Those responsible were never caught.