In Kaohsiung, an ambulance from the Fire Department's Xinxing Division was stolen by a woman in unstable mental condition while transporting a patient. At that time, the paramedics were unable to take the keys out due to the urgent situation, and the woman took the opportunity to drive away, traveling over 10 kilometers. The police tracked her down using the positioning system and ultimately arrested her at Kaohsiung Port, charging her with theft and obstruction of public duties. The Fire Department stated that they would strengthen training to prevent similar incidents from occurring.
A ambulance from the Kaohsiung City Fire Department's Xinxing Division was transporting a dialysis patient to the Veterans General Hospital on the morning of the 5th. Due to the emergency situation of the patient, the paramedics did not have time to remove the car keys when they got out of the vehicle, allowing a woman to take the opportunity to drive away with the ambulance, covering over 10 kilometers along the way.
Because the ambulance was equipped with a positioning system, the police immediately tracked its whereabouts and eventually intercepted her at Kaohsiung Port, handling the situation according to the law.
It is reported that when the incident occurred, the ambulance was parked outside the emergency room of the Veterans General Hospital. Two paramedics urgently pushed the patient out of the vehicle for medical treatment but were caught off guard when the woman climbed into the driver’s seat and drove away just 30 seconds after they left.
The woman honked the horn repeatedly during the driving process. After receiving reports, the police immediately launched an interception operation. Following the tracking, the police successfully stopped the woman near Dock No. 10 at Kaohsiung Port.
The person in charge of the case stated that the suspect's mental condition is unstable, and she has yet to explain why she drove the ambulance.
The incident occurred around 11 a.m. and involved an ambulance from the Xinxing Division of the Fire Department. At that time, the patient urgently needed treatment, so the paramedics did not check whether the car keys had been removed.
According to the deputy chief of the fire department, the suspect is a 41-year-old woman surnamed Tsai, who drove around the city after stealing the vehicle, covering a distance of more than 10 kilometers. Despite the mistake, the high-value equipment of the ambulance (worth approximately 5 million) was not damaged.
The fire department stated that they will provide more training for related personnel to prevent similar incidents from occurring again. The entire case has been referred for handling under theft and obstruction of public duties.
