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Date Published: 29/05/2024

I was robbed in a Murcia hospital while having cancer surgery

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Murcia expat Ian Millar tells of his harrowing experience while receiving inpatient treatment in Murcia

I was robbed in a Murcia hospital while having cancer surgery

Lots of us who live in Spain know it to be a pleasant and peaceful place, where people are generally friendly and very helpful. But there are always exceptions to the rule, as Los Alcázares resident Ian Millar found out.

“I was recently in the Quirónsalud hospital in Murcia from May 22 to May 26 for colon cancer surgery,” recounts Ian, who is 65 years old and has been living in Los Alcázares for two years. “I was in the company of a translator but, being unaware of the Spanish system of family being involved in the care procedure, I was alone.

“My translator made the situation quite clear to the hospital staff on the ward that I was alone and that no family members were present. I actually had my surgery on the afternoon of the May 22 at around 5.45pm.”

Everything went well with the surgery, but that’s when things took a nasty turn for other reasons.

“I have no idea how long I was in recovery for but when I returned to my private room, I became aware that all of my personal belongings had been stolen from my room,” says Ian, who is originally from Northern Ireland.

This included his wedding ring, his father’s gold signet ring, my mobile phone, bank card and driving licence, as well as all his clothes and washing kit.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much Ian could do about it: “I informed the hospital authorities who, because I had signed a form absolving the hospital of all responsibility in the event of theft, a manager simply produced this form and immediately washed her hands of the whole thing.”

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Ian believes he was the subject of a deliberately targeted theft as it was known that his room would be empty for several hours, or that it was simply a crime of opportunity by someone who had easy access to the ward corridor and to his room and who, walking by, noticed it was empty. The incident has been reported to the police, and time will tell if justice is served.

While Spanish and Murcian people are, on the whole, incredibly friendly and trustworthy, and hospital staff even more so, but isolated incidents like this one can befall anyone and it takes the community rallying around to help one another in these cases.

Although it has been a frustrating and stressful time for Ian, he insists he is not looking back: “Despite this incident, we love living in Los Alcázares. We have had only help and a welcome from the local Spanish people.”

If anyone has any information that could help locate the perpetrator of this theft or just to recover Ian’s belongings, please email contact@murciatoday.com

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