Palestinian Poses as Doctor, Steals from Hospitalized Patient

Jerusalem, 1 May, 2024 (TPS) -- A 26-year-old Palestinian in Jerusalem was indicted for impersonating a doctor and stealing a hospital patient’s cell phone, credit card, and documents, as well as fraudulently receiving medical care, the Israeli Police said on Wednesday.

According to the police, the suspect fabricated a document claiming he had an Israeli residency permit, to receive unspecified medical treatment at Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center on April 18.

Following this, the suspect entered the room of the young woman who was hospitalized there and stole her cell phone, credit card and other documents.

The next day, the suspect called the mother of the young woman. Identifying himself as “Dr. Ahmed,” he claimed her daughter’s condition had worsened and would be immediately taken into surgery. He also told the mother he needed the daughter’s credit card code to cover certain expenses. After a short time, the suspect called back the parents repeatedly, threatening he would harm their daughter if they did not meet his demands.

Instead, the parents notified the hospital, which placed security at the patient’s bedside. Police investigators quickly traced the cell phone’s location to Jerusalem’s Old City. He was arrested while leaving the Temple Mount.

“This is an unusual case where an illegal resident impersonates another person in order to receive treatment and a doctor in order to deceive,” said police inspector Yoav Daniel. “He used his stay in the hospital to defraud and steal. Rapid investigative operations that began immediately upon receiving the report to the police that morning, led to the rapid locating of the accused in the alleys of the Old City, when in his possession the Jerusalem police officers located the property stolen in the dead of night from the bed of the hospitalized patient.”