Video shows man stealing stacks of medical records from Sherman Oaks dental office
Surveillance videos shows him going straight for the cabinet, grabbing the documents by the handful and stuffing them in a bag.
SHERMAN OAKS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A suspect broke into a dental office in Sherman Oaks Thursday morning and stole several medical records from a cabinet - and it was all caught on video.
It happened at around 3 a.m. at Riverside Dental on Riverside Drive and Coldwater Canyon. Surveillance video clearly showed the suspect's face while he's inside the office building.
He's seen going straight to a cabinet filled with medical records, grabbing them by the handful and stuffing them in a plastic bag.
"The value of those records on the dark web, I've seen estimates that medical records are worth up to maybe $1,000," said security expert and LAPD veteran Paul Vernon.
The video shows he only took the documents and in less than 30 seconds, he leaves, going out through the same back window.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirms there is an investigation underway, though further details were not provided.
No one at the dental office wanted to speak with Eyewitness News for an on-camera interview on Friday, but group said they wanted to reach out to their patients first to reassure their safety.
"It's getting less secure and we become more vulnerable," said a man who asked to only be identified by the name Mike. He told ABC7 he owns the business next door.
"We do worry, we ask management to put security cameras," he added.
He admits the incident was frightening.
"It is, to be honest, not just for us but also for our clients. They don't feel that safe, even parking in the back," he said.
Vernon said stolen medical records can be a serious issue as they contain personal details such as the patient's medical history, insurance information and maybe even social security numbers.
"Some fraudulent person can take that information and masquerade as you to get healthcare, to get an operation, to get a facelift, to get prescription drugs or what have you because I have all this information that can confirm who they are as you," he said.
Security experts said to help prevent identity theft in the future, people need to monitor their credit report regularly.
