POLICE believe this man may be responsible for a brazen theft in which a £30,000 ultrasound scanner was stolen from Princess Margaret Hospital.

He is thought to have walked into the hospital in a suit, entered the toilets and emerged wearing a doctor's white coat. He then removed the brand new portable machine and a set of keys from the radiology department before walking coolly from the hospital.

The machine, which was bought just a week ago, was used to carry out scans on the most seriously ill patients at their bedside.

Those patients are now having to be moved from their ward and taken to the radiology department for scans on a larger, fixed machine.

Consultant radiologist Dr Alf Troughton said: "It is particularly galling to us that this important piece of equipment has been stolen.

"It is a sickening theft that will deny seriously ill patients the best treatment.

"The scanner was something that we had intended to take with us to the new hospital and we will have to meet most of the cost of replacing it out of our funds. Effectively we have two of our scanners out of action because a set of probes were also stolen from one of our larger machines.

"The important thing is that the equipment is returned to us as soon as possible. I would appeal to whoever has it to return it immediately so we can get on with the important work of caring for our patients."

The theft of the handbag-sized portable scanner was discovered by imaging assistant Janet Osman who turned up for work on Friday to find that the scanner, a monitor and the set of probes had gone missing.

As well as the inconvenience of the theft, the department has had to spend £500 changing the locks on all its doors.

She said: "I just could not believe it had gone. I can't imagine what anyone would want with it, unless it has been stolen to order."

Intensive care charge nurse Andrew Hugill said: "Because it is such a portable piece of equipment, it was very useful for taking ultra sound scans of some of our most seriously ill patients, such as those in intensive care, who we would rather not move. Now if we have to carry out a scan on a patient in intensive care, it can be a time consuming process of moving them and the life support equipment."

Security staff spent 12 hours meticulously searching through CCTV footage before tracing a likely suspect who is seen entering the hospital building on Thursday evening when only a handful of staff were on duty.

He is seen going into the toilets and emerging wearing a doctor's style white lab coat.

He then leaves the building with a bulky looking bag after changing his clothes once again.

Police officers today released the CCTV footage in an effort to trace the man in order to eliminate him from their enquiries.

They are also investigating links with a similar theft of scanning equipment from a hospital in Gloucester earlier in the day.

Anyone with information about the theft should contact PC Robert Sweeny at Swindon Police Station on 01793 528111.