A Pennsylvania man was arrested for allegedly stealing at least $350,000 worth of human skin used for skin grafts from Mercy Philadelphia Hospital over a couple years.
Though Gary Dudek stole skin grafts during a period between November 2011 until July 2013, the thefts weren't discovered until the hospital was auditing finances, reports NBC Philadelphia.
When examining surveillance video, officials say the 54-year-old can be seen removing the skin grafts from the hospital and taking them out to his car. Dudek didn't work for the hospital, but was a sales rep for a regenerative medicine company called Organogenesis.
He managed Mercy Hospital's account and had an "open purchase order" allowing him to place skin graft orders for the hospital, which he did to the tune of $357,000.
According to Philly.com, the hospital normally only kept about three grafts on hand, but Dudek placed orders for a total of 219 spread through the two years.
The hospital claims it never received any of the grafts Dudek ordered, which cost about $1,700 each.
While Dudek isn't publicly commenting on the issue, his attorney, Eugene Tinari said that the matter should remain a civil court one, instead of criminal.
"If Mercy Hospital has suffered losses and they can be deemed as a result of Mr. Dudek's actions then perhaps a civil suit could have been initiated. But to take this into the criminal arena against a man who has been nothing but hard-working and law-abiding his entire life is a bit draconian."