VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Damage created by a stolen ambulance was still visible Wednesday on the sidewalk at the intersection of Laskin Road and Atlantic Avenue at the Virginia Beach oceanfront.
Video shows an ambulance chased through Virginia Beach Tuesday night by police after being stolen from Virginia Beach General Hospital.
The low-speed chase ended not long after it started when the ambulance crashed into a pillar of a building at the oceanfront.
“When you’re there, you’re thinking about patient care," Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads Executive Director Bubby Bish said about ambulances at hospitals.
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Bish explained when ambulances get to a hospital, the paramedics and EMTs are focused on getting their patient into the hospital for care and don’t think about taking time to turn off the ambulance and lock it up.
“Some of the newer trucks out today have a latch that allow you to lock the truck when you close it," said Bish. "We’re trying to change the way we do things. We’ve got to change the way we do things.”
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The ambulance belongs to Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad. News 3 reached out for comment Wednesday but was told the rescue squad would likely defer to police since this was an ongoing investigation.
As of Wednesday, police had not released the name of the person accused of stealing the ambulance or answered why it was stolen. That person was taken into custody after the ambulance crashed.
But this is just the latest stolen ambulance. On Monday, one was reportedly stolen by a patient at a hospital in Fairfax County and back in September 2023 an ambulance was stolen from a hospital in Norfolk.
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Businesses around the oceanfront in Virginia Beach were surprised to hear about what happened there.
“It’s not the typical problem you see down here," Kitty Hawk Kites Manager Chris Link said. "You see a lot of tourist problems, but you don’t see something like that. Seems like kind of a pointless crime."
“Usually, the most exciting things we have are the runs and the walks and the crawls," said Flowers - Wayne Jones Co-owner Wayne Jones.
"But to have someone like that, obviously they need some assistance in putting priorities."
If the ambulance has to be replaced, Bish said that could cost $250,000 to $300,000.
“It’s a shame we have to adapt the way we do things because we’re afraid somebody’s going to steal the ambulance," said Bish.
