On July 17, 2026, my wife went into the Welland Avenue GNMI for an MRI.
Background:
She never received an email or text with instructions on NOT to wear jewelry or if there were any dietary instructions to adhere to before her MRI The text she received simply had the time of the appointment
My wife showed up at 3:30 pm for her appointment
When she was brought into the backroom she was asked to take her rings, earrings, and watch off, along with her clothes and they were put into a locker.
She was told that anything that couldn't come off could be scanned so she kept on her necklace (that had not been removed in 44 years - and that included giving birth and several major surgeries).
As she was standing in her gown, a technician asked her to remove her necklace and ankle bracelet. The technician removed them for her and my wife witnessed the technician put them into the locker and locked it with a code.
More Background:
My wife was NOT given this code even though they have said they give ALL the patients the SAME (?) code. That's an odd practice. Meaning any patient can go into another patient's locker.
Either way, my wife was not given a code and it was the technician who closed the locker and the MRI tech opened it when they were done.
Though it has been said that all patients get the code my wife did observe that she only saw the technicians go into any of the lockers. She never saw ONE patient unlock a locker while she was in that room.
After her MRI they went back to the locker and upon opening found nothing in the locker. Odd. So they opened the locker beside it and found her belongings in a different locker. Another oddity.
However, her ankle bracelet was found on the ground by the MRI technician. How did that get there?
My wife's 18 carat Italian Gold necklace, gifted by her late Uncle to her 44 years ago (and had never been take off in 44 years) was now gone.
So, ankle bracelet on the ground (though it had been locked the locker with the other jewelry) and the most expensive item was gone. Interesting.
They searched the premises and found nothing
The lady at the front desk wrote a note to explain what happened and signed it (see attached) and said that someone would call by Noon on the Monday.
Nobody called
So, my wife, Anna decided to call Dr. Patel, the owner, who was very dismissive and he said they had coded lockers and he would have his manager contact her.
That day at 6:30 pm, the manager called and she was flippant, dismissive and defensive. She asked how Anna got her boss' phone number (simple Google search).
She said she would call back
More than 5 weeks later we have not heard back
My wife then contacted the police
She filed a report and the police investigated
Though the police did lean to the side that the necklace was stolen and not lost (but seriously, how could it logically have been lost if the technician put it in the locker, locked it and then the MRI technician unlocked it after the MRI...lol....I'm no detective...but....), but because there were no cameras they can't prove it.
Yes, conveniently there are no cameras on the lockers
The police said that one of the staff mentioned that ALL patients and ALL technicians receive the same code? So this leaves 6 patients and 3 technicians who could have stolen the necklace.
Because the only footage they have from the video is in the lobby, there is no way to determine who that was. Very, very convenient.
I also was told that this flawed security process has now changed. I wonder why?
My wife has since called Dr. Patel again. He was on vacation and told her to go through the proper channels - which she did. He said he would have someone reach out.
Again we have heard nothing back after another week.
Seems to be a common theme.
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Since this complaint was sent 2 weeks we have spoken to the other manager, Adam, who agreed that it HAD TO BE STOLEN, but nobody had stepped forward. He said he would call back in a few days. It's now been 10. Common theme, right :)
So, though they are responsible for this happening, nobody is taking responsibility and because there were no cameras and nobody is, obviously, going to say they saw anything...we are supposed to just accept it.
Leave your valuables at home.
There are thieves everywhere.
Even in locked lockers in a health facility :) read more
