CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 18: COVID-19 vaccine will be stored at -80 degrees Celsius in the Roseland Community Hospital pharmacy on December 18, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson / Getty Images)
TO Newsroom
UPDATE 12:00 PM PT – Friday February 5, 2021
Florida police are looking for a man who stole a car containing 30 vials of COVID-19 vaccine. According to authorities in Plant City, a man wearing a light-colored hoodie stole the vehicle from the parking lot at Strawberry Festival Grounds on Wednesday.
STOLEN VACCINES: Police looking for car stolen from Plant City with vials of Covid vaccine to be administered at Strawberry Festival Grounds. Info about car below and person of interest: pic.twitter.com/w9eWUlWwQi
– Jennifer Titus (@ jenntitus10) February 4, 2021
Officials said $ 10,000 in doses were being held in the vehicle prior to distribution at the city’s vaccination center.
Captain Jerry Stwan of Plant City Police said he believes a passerby saw an opportunity and then stole the car.
“Whether it was intentional or just by chance that the vaccines were stolen, I’m sure lessons will be learned for better safety precautions for these vaccines,” said Stwan. “They are very precious to many people in our state.”
Officials have issued a nationwide warning and the investigation is ongoing.