A man who pleaded guilty to a series of robberies in Quebec hospitals in which his accomplice was his wife was sentenced to 36 months in prison on Friday. The duo had notably attempted to pose as a construction worker and cardiologist in order to fool a CHUL security officer.
Anthony Roy and Marie-Ève Béliveau were arrested in June 2022 after a hiatus and are joining CHUL.
A search of Roy’s home reveals access cards for various CHU de Quebec hospitals, as well as documents and personal belongings belonging to local staff.
On the evening of the arrest, Anthony Roy was seen by a CHUL security officer disguised as a construction worker in an administrative area. Then, on the phone, Roy sees the agent pick up his cell phone and continue his conversation with his interlocutor, who is then Mrs. Béliveau. The latter pretends to be a local cardiologist who sent her spouse to get documents.
The problem is that the agent is alerted by the spate of thefts that have been occurring in the area’s hospitals over the past few weeks. He quickly makes the connection and the police are called to the scene.
wave of flights
Roy and Béliveau are then linked to the series of thefts that have taken place over the previous months.
Armed with stolen access cards or master keys, they went into the offices and picked up money and valuables along the way.
Cell phones, laptops, personal documents, tools, clothes, cameras, headsets, everything is there. The duo will even go as far as stealing gift cards found in an office to try and recover their cash value from the retailer.
“Witnesses have confirmed that the items found during the searches at the co-defendants’ home are the items declared stolen,” prosecutor Me Annie Bastarache said Friday.
Anthony Roy, who pleaded guilty on Friday, was sentenced to 36 months in prison on a joint proposal by both parties. Since he has already served 12 months in pre-trial detention, he has two years less every day from the increased balance of pre-trial detention.
He was sentenced to 20 months less probation on similar charges in November 2021.
Love, louder than the police
And Anthony Roy must also refrain from contacting his co-defendant in the case, Marie-Ève Béliveau, who is described as a serial thief and has nearly 100 criminal convictions to her name.
The no-contact order was already in place as the woman’s files are pending in the case, but Judge Mario Tremblay nonetheless insisted that she be added to her husband’s ruling, even if a motion for retraction is later made.
Defense attorney Julie Gagné believes this condition unfortunately “exposes her client to the risk of violating the condition” as he and Marie-Ève Béliveau still say they are a couple despite the distance between their respective cells .
“Love is stronger than the police,” Me Gagné pleaded to persuade the judge to change his mind, but to no avail.
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