Maxim Vladimirovich Petrov worked as an emergency doctor in St Petersburg, living in the central Vasilievsky Island area of the city.

[4] In 1997, Petrov began robbing his patients by visiting their homes unannounced and usually in the morning when relatives would be at work.

[2] Petrov committed his first murder on 2 February 1999 during his thirtieth robbery, when he was interrupted by the daughter of an anaesthetised patient who returned home while he was stealing.

[4] Using this list, they identified 72 possible future victims in an operation called "Medbrat" ("Male Nurse") involving 700 police officers.

[4] On his arrest, Petrov admitted to the murders but recanted his confession a few months later, blaming it on the intense psychological pressure he had endured while in custody.