Man arrested for theft of ambulance from Jerusalem hospital

Suspect apprehended after chase in which the emergency medical vehicle hit a police car; man in his 20s detained and taken for questioning amid investigation into motive

By ToI Staff 16 November 2024, 1:01 pm Edit

An ambulance stolen from the Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in Jerusalem on November 16, 2024. (Israel Police)

A man in his 20s was arrested on Saturday after he stole an ambulance from Jerusalem’s Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital.

The suspect was reportedly from the village of Ein Naqquba, near the capital.

Magen David Adom said the ambulance’s crew was standing next to the vehicle near the hospital’s emergency room when the suspect got in and drove off.

According to reports, police tracked the location of the ambulance using its built-in systems.

Amid a chase, the ambulance eventually hit a police car, at which point the suspect disembarked and ran away but was apprehended a short time later.

There were no injuries in the incident, however the police car was slightly damaged.

Police said the man has been taken for questioning amid an investigation into his motive for stealing the ambulance.

The Kan public broadcaster noted that the theft came amid rising crime, including vehicle thefts, while the Walla news site said that there was suspicion that the man may have planned to use the ambulance to carry out “hostile activity.”