Woman steals Akron ambulance early Monday, caught minutes later

A medical emergency took an unexpected turn March 2 when a woman stole a paramedic unit while crews were assessing a patient.

According to Akron Fire, the incident happened around 1:47 a.m. Monday in the 1600 block of Brittain Road. While paramedics were tending to a patient whose life was not in danger, a woman reportedly got into the ambulance and left.

Firefighters immediately notified Akron Police and requested a second unit to safely transport the patient to the hospital.

Shortly after 2 a.m., officers located the stolen ambulance in the parking lot of the old Chapel Hill Mall, just two blocks from the original location. The woman was taken into custody without incident.

The ambulance was returned to service quickly, with no damage or missing equipment.

The suspect faces charges of grand theft, emergency misconduct and disrupting public services.

Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com or on Twitter @athompsonABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: From emergency call to theft, Akron ambulance stolen early Monday