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Police needed to use road spikes to stop the stolen vehicle after tracking it through its GPS transmitter.
After the spikes were used, the ambulance was driven some distance on the disintegrating tyres and wheelrims, until finally coming to a stop at Waihola, 39 kilometres from Dunedin.
A 30-year-old South Dunedin man has been taken into custody.
St John spokesperson Pauline Buchanan said the thief showed “complete disregard” for the consequences of their actions and for the patient the crew were helping.
“It is fortunate that the patient was able to be treated at the scene and did not require transportation and there were no further calls for ambulance assistance during this time as this could have potentially impacted one of our patients.”
She said the ambulance had suffered “considerable damage’ and will be taken off the road for repairs.
Response from St Johns: STOLEN ST JOHN AMBULANCE, DUNEDIN
Late last night a St John ambulance crew responded to a call for emergency assistance in South Dunedin.
While attending to the patient at a residential address their ambulance was stolen.
“It is reprehensible that while our ambulance officers were providing essential clinical care to a patient someone would steal their ambulance. There was complete disregard for the consequences of their actions and for the patient they were caring for,” said St John Southland District Operations Manager Pauline Buchanan.
“It is fortunate that the patient was able to be treated at the scene and did not require transportation and there were no further calls for ambulance assistance during this time as this could have potentially impacted one of our patients.”
St John is grateful for the swift response by Police to the theft of our ambulance and apprehending the offender who stole it.
We understand that the ambulance has sustained considerable damage so will be off the road for repairs, putting it out of action as an emergency resource.
St John continues to support the Police in their investigation.
-ENDS-