Ottawa police have charged a Toronto man with fraud after nearly 30, 000 X-rays were stolen from hospitals and clinics across Ontario.
Police say the man stole the X-rays by posing as an employee of a recycling firm that picks up X-rays when they're ready for disposal.
The man was arrested on Feb. 22 in Smiths Falls after he allegedly tried to steal X-rays from a lab in Orleans about a month ago.
A spokesperson for the clinic said the man was extremely well-organized and wore the same uniform the clinic's regular recycling company uses. But staff members became suspicious when they realized the clinic wasn't due for a pick-up that day.
Lab workers alerted Ottawa police and gave them a description of the vehicle he was driving which allowed police to make the arrest.
Police say silver can be extracted from the film of the X-rays.
"From X-rays, there is a chemical process where you can extract silver from the X-ray itself," said Staff Sgt. Kevin McCaffery. "That's where monetary gain would come in."
They believe the man began stealing X-rays in the Toronto area before expanding his operation.
Billy Dimitro, 37, of Toronto is facing one count of fraud, with more charges likely to follow.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Joanne Schnurr
