Mo. Man Steals Ambulance, Returns to Hospital with Dog Bite

ST. LOUIS COUNTY -- A man who allegedly stole an ambulance parked outside an emergency room Friday got a ride back to the hospital after a police dog found him hiding less than two miles away.

St. Louis County Police gave this account:

A Kirkwood Fire Department ambulance arrived at St. Anthony's Medical Center at 12:15 p.m. While paramedics were inside the hospital with their patient, a man jumped into the unlocked ambulance, turned on the engine and drove off. The keys were inside the cab.

An hour later, a resident of the 5300 block of Ferbet Estates Drive, near Butler Hill and Kerth roads, called police to report a Kirkwood ambulance parked in her driveway. An officer noticed a broken window in the rear of the woman's home and requested backup.

A police dog and officers found the suspect hiding in an upstairs bedroom. During the arrest, the dog bit the suspect's arm.

A Mehlville Fire Protection District ambulance returned the suspect to St. Anthony's for treatment. Police said he also was held pending charges.

Kirkwood Fire Chief Tom Openlander thanked county police for their quick work and said he was grateful for the outcome. He said the department had no policy on locking ambulances at hospitals, but will review the matter and probably require doing so in the future.

"You just can't let your guard down anywhere," Openlander said.

He said the paramedics aren't in trouble. "The ambulance wasn't damaged. Nothing was taken. It's a good ending to a situation that could have been worse," he said.

Openlander said the crew had transported a patient for a non-life threatening medical condition and were inside the emergency room when the theft occurred. His crew never saw the thief, he said.

Note: Officials say the ambulance was unlocked with the keys in the cab, but with the engine off. The first reports stated the engine was idling.

Tim O'Neil -- 314-340-8132

@timoneilpd on Twitter

toneil@post-dispatch.com

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