Police are investigating the case of an Upper Darby man who allegedly stole patients' personal information from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in late November.
Shacoy McNish, 27, faces 19 counts of identity theft and other offenses. He was released on $30,000 bail on Dec. 1, according to court records.
University of Pennsylvania Health System spokeswoman Susan Phillips said the information of 18 people was accessed. She could not account for the disparity between her information and the 19 counts reported in the court records.
She declined to specify how McNish had access to the information, since police are currently investigating the matter.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, security at an Upper Darby Sears store called the police on Nov. 23, after McNish allegedly made purchases totaling almost $3,000 using the Social Security Numbers of two other people.
The Upper Darby Police Department did not return multiple requests for comment Thursday afternoon.
But according to the Inquirer, police said they found photocopies with the personal information of 19 people in McNish's car.
Phillips said HUP was notified of the investigation on Dec. 1.
According to Phillips, McNish is not a HUP employee. She declined to specify whether he was a patient.
She said UPHS is "cooperating fully" with police, adding that all involved parties have been notified by mail and are being offered free credit monitoring services.
McNish's formal arraignment hearing will occur on Jan. 7, according to court documents.
"There's been a certain rush to judgment," said McNish's attorney Michael Caudo. "It's not how it appears to be."
"We look forward to a vigorous defense," he added.
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