Someone whose identity is still unknown handed over a black suitcase, containing 64,000 euros in cash, to the staff of the Sant Antoni Abat hospital in Vilanova i la Geltrú on Friday. This sum was accompanied by a handwritten note stating that the money was a donation. After opening the suitcase, the money and the note appeared and, according to sources from the Consorci Sanitari Alt Penedès-Garraf consulted by La Vanguardia, the management of the hospital was immediately informed, who decided to bring the facts to the attention of the police of Squad. According to the regional publication La Fura, which advanced the news, "the tickets were wet and in bad condition".
The stunned managers of the hospital brought the facts to the attention of the Mossos, who have opened an investigation in order to try to rule out that the origin of the money is illicit. The Mossos, who have taken charge of the suitcase and its contents guarding it, say that everything indicates that, indeed, it is an anonymous donation to the hospital center in the capital of the Garraf region. They add that this is a very unique case. In fact, the same police sources admit that they had never come across a similar case.
The mayor of Vilanova i la Geltrú, Olga Arnau, acknowledged yesterday that the appearance of the suitcase with 64,000 euros in cash and the handwritten note "is news that has surprised us" and added that "at the moment we do not know what we will do with this money, for now its fate is in the hands of the court".
The history of the hospital of Sant Antoni Abat, recipient of the anonymous briefcase, dates back to the 14th century, although its headquarters, over the years, has been changing location to its current location, which occupies 11,000 m2 next to a church. It is currently part of the Alt Penedès-Garraf Health Consortium.
The demand to build a new hospital of reference in the town has been maintained for more than two decades. In the 2009-2012 strategic plan of the Garraf Health Consortium it was already made clear that new resources were needed to deal with the health demands of the population in the medium and long term. This fact motivated the Generalitat de Catalunya to sign a commitment for the construction of a new hospital on January 8, 2010, which the municipality continues to claim.
