CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 18: The COVID-19 vaccine is stored at -80 degrees Celsius at the Roseland Community Hospital pharmacy on December 18, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson / Getty Images)
In Writing
UPDATED AT 12:00 PM PT – Friday, February 5, 2021
Florida police are looking for a man who stole a car that contained 30 vials of the COVID-19 vaccine. According to Plant City authorities, on Wednesday a man wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt stole the vehicle from the Strawberry Festival Grounds parking lot.
STOLEN VACCINES: Police were searching for a stolen car from Plant City that contained vials of the Covid vaccine that were to be administered at the strawberry festival venue. Information about the car below and the person of interest: pic.twitter.com/w9eWUlWwQi
– Jennifer Titus (@ jenntitus10) February 4, 2021
Officials said doses worth $ 10,000 were kept in the vehicle before distributing them to the city’s vaccination center.
Captain Jerry Stwan, of the Plant City Police Department, said he believed a person walking there saw a crime of opportunity and then stole the car.
“Whether the theft of the vaccines was intentional or accidental, I am sure there will be lessons learned for better safety measures for these vaccines,” Stwan said. “They are very precious to many people in our state.”
Officials have issued a nationwide alert and the investigation continues.