Man Steals COVID-19 Test Kits From Arizona Health Center

Police are asking for help identifying a suspect who stole 29 coronavirus test kits. The theft occurred in the El Rio Health Center in Arizona Friday night. A man entered the center dressed as a delivery driver and while employees were closing up for the night, stole the kits. The theft wasn’t noticed until the following morning. Police have confirmed the stolen kits were replaced and the clinic was not heavily impacted. They’ve also confirmed that without a “private lab equipped with the proper tools for testing and reading results” the kits are essentially useless. Tucson police have warned residents purchasing any “at home” kits is a scam. The reason this theft remains to be such a large issue is because of the shortage in tests the U.S. is experiencing, especially in California and New York. The perpetrator is “described as a Hispanic man in his 30’s, between 5-foot-9-inches and 5-foot-11-inches tall with a large build.” He “has a full, dark-colored beard with some graying” and is believed to be driving a reddish dodge charger.