A LAB technician who allegedly tried to make a quick buck by stealing samples from the Indian sperm bank where he worked has been arrested after a doctor tipped off police, authorities said Tuesday.

The employee allegedly stole the sperm from a sperm bank in the western city of Aurangabad, and tried to sell 101 vials of it to a doctor in Mumbai for about US$625, Aurangabad police chief Krishna Lal Bishnoi said.

The doctor declined and called police, who arrested the lab employee and a relative.

"The doctor contacted police because they usually refer patients to infertility clinics for treatment. They are never approached with sperm vials on sale," Bishnoi said.

Infertility expert Dr. Aniruddha Malpani described the alleged theft as "bizarre" because vials that are not properly labeled would be "worse than useless."

"Anyone would have a hard time selling sperm vials. They must be stored in a liquid nitrogen container. It doesn't make any sense," Malpani said.

Police said the two men will be charged with stealing and cheating, and each could face up to seven years in prison if convicted.

(SD-Agencies)