Jacksonville police arrest two after $14.5 million robotic surgical arms stolen from St. Vincent’s facilities
Arrests follow internal review and multi-year inventory discrepancies
Jacksonville authorities have arrested two people in connection with the disappearance of surgical robotic arms valued at about $14.5 million from Ascension St. Vincent’s hospital facilities in Jacksonville. The case centers on missing components used in robot-assisted surgery and traces a suspected pattern of losses across multiple years and locations.
The first arrest involved Angela Kearse, a St. Vincent’s surgical assistant. Investigators allege she used employee badge access to enter a separate hospital campus during off-hours and remove equipment. Surveillance imagery reviewed by hospital security and law enforcement showed her leaving the facility early on Christmas morning with duffel bags and boxes later identified as the missing items. Kearse was arrested on Dec. 27, 2024, and later pleaded guilty to grand theft. Sentencing is scheduled for March 5, 2026.
As the inquiry expanded beyond the initial missing-property report, hospital security and legal staff conducted a wider internal review of inventory records, badge access logs and surveillance footage. That review identified additional unaccounted-for robotic arms and related instruments, with preliminary estimates indicating losses extending back to 2020 across St. Vincent’s Southside and other Ascension-related facilities.
Investigators tracked equipment into the secondary medical supply market
During interviews with hospital personnel and a subsequent review of purchasing pathways, investigators identified third-party surplus retailers as potential downstream recipients of the equipment. A retailer’s legal counsel provided purchase documentation and communications indicating the items had been acquired from Michael Roberson, described by investigators as operating through businesses associated with wholesale activity.
Hospital leadership and law enforcement reviewed serial numbers on robotic arms held by the retailer and determined they matched items missing from St. Vincent’s inventory systems. The retailer set aside dozens of robotic arms as the investigation continued.
Later reviews of purchase and sale records tied to Roberson documented transactions spanning multiple years with two separate medical surplus businesses. A financial analysis concluded that unused surgical instruments and robotic arms valued at roughly $14.25 million were missing, aligning closely with an earlier estimate of $14.58 million in losses.
Charges and court timelines
Kearse: pleaded guilty to grand theft; sentencing scheduled for March 5, 2026.
Roberson: charged with grand theft, dealing in stolen property, and criminal attempt; court appearance scheduled for March 4, 2026.
St. Vincent’s stated that the employee involved was separated from the health system after the theft was discovered and that the organization is cooperating with law enforcement.
The case highlights the operational vulnerabilities that can arise when high-value surgical technology is distributed across multiple campuses and storage locations. Investigators have treated inventory controls, badge access patterns and resale documentation as central evidence as the prosecution moves forward.