Truck full of flu vaccine stolen

Upon further reading it sounds like the flu vaccine wasn’t the motivation for the theft.

Truck transporting flu vaccine stolen
By Jesse Garza of the Journal Sentinel | Nov. 5, 2009 | /www.jsonline.com

More than 900 doses of Milwaukee’s allotted H1N1 flu vaccine will have to be returned to the manufacturer, officials said, after a truck used to transport the vaccine was stolen Thursday night

The truck was taken shortly before 8 p.m. from the 1200 block of W. Highland Blvd. in front of Sarah Scott Middle School, where about 1,950 people received flu vaccinations Thursday, Police Capt. Michael Massa said.

The truck was found abandoned about 8:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of W. Vine St. and none of its contents appeared to be missing, Massa said.

A 38-year-old man who was seen in the truck was arrested nearby, and police were searching for two other men believed to have been with him, Massa said.

Because the vaccine was out of the possession of the Milwaukee Health Department for that time, the doses – both the injectable and nasally ingested vaccine – must be returned to the manufacturer, city health commissioner Bevan Baker said.

Baker and Paul A. Biedrzycki, director of disease control and environmental health for the city’s health department, said they were not sure the doses would be replaced but Baker said he was sure that there would be enough vaccine. Baker said transportation of the vaccine was contracted out to a private company, and city health officials will conduct an internal investigation to determine whether the process could be improved.

He also said a vaccination clinic scheduled for Friday will take place as planned.

Massa said the driver of the truck was picking up medical supplies from the school building and left the vehicle running so that a refrigeration unit containing the vaccine would remain on.

“It appeared to be a crime of opportunity,” Massa said.