Medic accused of rifling through patient’s purse and stealing $220 in Gloucester County

NEWFIELD, N.J. (WPVI) — An EMT worker in New Jersey is accused of stealing money from a patient’s purse while responding to a call.

According to the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, 44-year-old Antoni Simmons responded to a woman’s home in Newfield in a county-assigned vehicle on April 30.

According to court documents, Simmons performed an initial assessment on the victim, but then allegedly went through her purse, pocketing $220 in cash.

After she was taken to the hospital and she looked in her purse, she realized the money was gone.

Later, investigators found surveillance video that they say shows Simmons rummaging through the purse and stealing from it.

Simmons is suspended without pay from the county EMS.

Simmons was released on a summons and he has a court appearance scheduled for September.

Action News was unable to reach him for comment today.

Folks we spoke with said it’s a big violation of trust.

“They’re there to provide for people and they’re stealing from people,” said Salvatore Baldino of Hammonton, N.J.

“I’ve heard of it in other towns,” said Baldino. “This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of it. It’s a sickening thing that they’re getting over on people that are reaching out to them for help.”