Buena Park : Patient’s X-Rays Develop Into Petty Theft Charges

When Manuel Jose Guardado was wheeled into one of Buena Park Community Hospital’s X-ray rooms, technicians didn’t find broken bones--but they did discover $60 worth of medical equipment they didn’t know was missing.

As a result, Guardado is facing petty theft charges.

Anaheim police took Guardado, 26, of San Diego to the hospital Wednesday morning after a barroom brawl near Ball Road and Knott Avenue, Buena Park Police Sgt. Terry Branum said.

Police said a technician left Guardado alone in an X-ray room for a few minutes. When he returned, he found Guardado sleeping with “bulging” pockets. The technician decided to take a second X-ray, and the incident unfolded--right on film, Buena Park Police Officer Rich McMillen said Thursday.

Guardado is accused of filling his pockets with 21 X-ray markers, one plastic tongue depressor and two “airway” devices used in tracheotomies.

Doctors called police when the X-ray was developed, Branum said. McMillen said the officers asked Guardado to empty his pockets. When he refused, they arrested him.

“That (X-ray) is about as good a piece of evidence as you can get,” Branum said.