On Monday, a 24-year-old man is scheduled to appear in the Ventersdorp magistrate’s court for allegedly ste@ling an ambulance from a hospital in the North West town while a patient was inside.
The suspect was taken into custody in Tshing Location, which is just outside of Ventersdorp, early on Friday morning, according to police spokesperson Col. Adéle Myburgh.
“The man was apprehended after an incident in which an ambulance was allegedly st0len 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.
