A 24-year-old man is expected to appear in the Ventersdorp magistrate’s court on Monday for allegedly stealing an ambulance with a patient on-board from a hospital in the North West town.
According to police spokesperson Col Adéle Myburgh, the man was arrested in the early hours of Friday at Tshing Location, just outside Ventersdorp.
“The man was apprehended after an incident in which an ambulance was allegedly stolen right in front of the local hospital on Thursday at about 11.55pm. It is alleged that Emergency and Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) personnel received a patient, who was placed inside the ambulance to be transported to a neighbouring hospital, and were busy with the handing over of this patient when the suspect drove away with the ambulance, while the patient was in the back,” said Myburgh.
She said police were contacted and acted immediately, managing to trace and stop the ambulance shortly after the incident in Tshing, Extension 5.
The patient was not harmed during this incident.
Myburgh said the suspect is facing a charge of theft of a motor vehicle.
Acting North West police commissioner Maj-Gen Patrick Asaneng commended the police for their swift action that led to the arrest and recovery of the ambulance and patient.
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