The brazen man is yet to be identified by police, despite his face being clearly captured as he nabbed the security camera from a hospital in California.

'This guy just propped himself up and dismantled the camera and stole it,' Bakersfield Police Detective Scott Miller told Huffington Post.

The area has recently been hit by a crime wave of security camera thefts, which, according to police, are attributed to thieves and drug dealers who want to use the surveillance devices for their own homes.

The officer said criminals used the security cameras to give them advance warning on police raids to their property.

'Usually they're going for the infrared equipment, but this guy just went for the camera - it's the second time he's done so,' Miller said.

'We're getting hit with a bunch of these thefts lately... They're likely using them to fortify their own homes for surveillance. There's definitely an uptick