Catherine Hallett shows an empty wallet at her Edmonton home Friday, as her son Dave Hallett stands by. She was robbed of $130 Thursday while waiting for treatment on a hospital gurney. (Amber Bracken, QMI Agency)

EDMONTON - An Edmonton man is warning other patients to be careful after a culprit stole money from his 85-year-old mother Thursday night as she lay on a gurney receiving treatment.

"It's disgusting when someone steals from an old lady's purse at the hospital," said Dave Hallett. "You assume you're going to be safe. If my wife hadn't been with her, who knows what would have happened."

Hallett's mother, Catherine Eva Hallett, had bloodwork done earlier that morning, but had to be rushed to the Northeast Community Health Centre later that evening after doctors discovered her blood had become too thin and her blood pressure was too high.

While she lay in bed receiving treatment, Hallett's wife at her side, a fellow patient was seen reaching through the drapes and dropping her wallet into her purse.

It turns out the man had stolen the wallet earlier in the evening and was trying to return it to Hallett's mother's purse when the thief was spotted by Hallett's wife, who alerted security.

Security couldn't keep up with the man, but immediately called police and passed on details about the man.

Hallett said the thief made off with about $130 in cash and a prepaid funeral card that resembles a credit card. She didn't have any credit cards or bank cards in her wallet.

"It's not so much the money. It's just not right," Hallett said, adding his mother is stressed out from the incident.

"I just want other people to know, when they go to these facilities or anywhere, they should be hanging on to their personal stuff, because you can't trust anybody, it seems."

Tadra Boulton, Alberta Health Services spokeswoman, said the centre's protective services staff are working with the police on the matter but no charges have been laid at this point.

"We're reviewing the incident. We don't know if it will result in any changes to our security policy or procedures," Boulton said.

"But we will look at anything we can or should be doing to avoid future incidents."

clara.ho@sunmedia.ca