Hospital Staff Told To Lock Away Toys

Staff at hopsitals in south Wales are being encouraged to lock up expensive and popular toys on children’s wards.

There are claims that thieves have been targetting items for several months.

Dean Beddis is a dad from Newport and says an item was chained to his two-year-old son’s cot when he was being treated for Bronchitis at the Royal Gwent:

“As my son was in the cot, it was like a heavy duty bicylce lock with a big thick cable”

“It was like dismay and sadness at the same time – that’s the only word I can say, it was really sad”.

Dean tells Capital it’s not only toys that have gone missing though, he claims nurses told him that televisions in parent’s waiting rooms have been taken too.

The father - of - two is convinced the thieves are friends and family of the children in the ward:

“It’s a secure ward, so it must be family and friends who’re having their children healed and looked after by the NHS and these nurses”

“It was an eye-opener”

Aneurin Bevan Health Board says it’s not a regular occurence at its hopsitals and that security and CCTV is in place.

A spokesman for the board says:

“We do encourage staff to secure and lock away some of the more popular and more expensive items”

“As with any large building open to the public we advise visitors and our own staff to be vigilant with valuables.”

In 2012 toys and computer games were taken from University Hopsital of North Staffordshire and Christmas presents were swiped from Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Dean says the thieves should to donate to charity.