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| Shocking! Hospital Ventilators Stolen from RSUP Soekarno, 3 Inside Actors and 2 Fences Arrested. |
Bangka Belitung, Indonesia — A shocking theft has rocked the health sector as three individuals, all connected to a major provincial hospital, were caught stealing vital medical equipment. Even more surprising? Two fences were also involved, and the stolen items included a ventilator—an essential life-saving device.
Three individuals with inside access to RSUP Dr. (HC) Ir. Soekarno Hospital were arrested for allegedly stealing a ventilator and other medical tools. The suspects are identified as Jo (29), a government contract worker, Ri (31), an honorary staff member, and Fi (30), a former ambulance driver who had resigned before the investigation began.
According to Inspector General Hendro Pandowo, Head of Bangka Belitung Police, the arrests were made after an in-depth investigation revealed the shocking betrayal from hospital insiders.
“We successfully uncovered a theft of a ventilator from RSUP Soekarno. Three suspects have been arrested,” said the police chief during a press conference on Tuesday, July 22, 2025.
The incident took place right inside RSUP Dr. Soekarno, one of the main referral hospitals in Bangka Belitung Province, Indonesia. The ventilator—equipment used to assist patients with breathing—was reportedly stolen from the hospital premises.
In addition to the three inside suspects, police also arrested two alleged fences, believed to have received and attempted to resell the stolen medical items. The suspects, Je (26) and As (38), were apprehended outside Bangka Island after authorities tracked them using transaction records and delivery addresses.
All five individuals are now officially named as suspects and are currently being held at the Bangka Belitung Police Headquarters for further legal proceedings.
The case started to unravel in mid-July 2025 after hospital authorities noticed missing equipment and reported it to the police. Investigators quickly launched an operation, questioning 10 witnesses and performing on-site analysis to reconstruct the events.
From these efforts, suspicion focused on Jo, who later confessed to the crime and implicated the other two accomplices.
This isn’t just about stolen property—it's about public safety. Ventilators are critical devices used to save lives, especially in emergency and intensive care units. Stealing such equipment could directly endanger patients who need immediate respiratory support.
What’s worse, the perpetrators were trusted members of the hospital staff. Their actions highlight a serious vulnerability in hospital security and internal control.
According to Kombes Pol M. Rivai Arvan, Director of Criminal Investigation for the Bangka Belitung Police, investigators traced the crime using eyewitness testimony and physical evidence. Jo’s confession opened the door to uncovering the involvement of Ri and Fi, as well as the external actors Je and As.
“We gathered evidence and traced the stolen items to their new locations. That’s how we caught the fences who were planning to resell them,” Arvan explained.
Recovered items include the stolen ventilator and various other medical tools, now secured as evidence in the ongoing case.