Thief who stole ambulance with patient inside granted bail

A North West man who stole an ambulance with a patient in the back and then took it for a joy ride has been released on R500 bail following his first court appearance.

Thato Vuyo Letsoge briefly appeared in the Ventersdorp magistrate’s court on Monday.

The matter was postponed to 29 January for further investigation.

Joyride

Police spokesperson Colonel Adéle Myburgh said Letsoge was arrested early Friday at Tshing Location, just outside Ventersdorp.

“It is alleged that Emergency and Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) personnel received a patient who was placed inside the ambulance to be transported to a neighbouring hospital. They were handing over the patient when the suspect drove away with the ambulance with the patient in the back.

“The police were contacted, and they acted immediately. They traced and stopped the ambulance shortly after the incident in Tshing, Extension 5. The patient was not harmed during this incident,” Myburgh said.

Acting North West Provincial Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, commended the police for their swift action in arresting and recovering the ambulance and patient.

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Ambulance hijacking

In November, armed attackers hijacked an ambulance transporting an eight-year-old child to the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha.

The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) crew and their young patient were stranded alongside the road in the dark. Another ambulance then picked them up.  

Health MEC Ntandokazi Capa condemned targeting healthcare workers and staff, saying this compromised service delivery.

“This senseless attack has left the two EMS crew members and the eight-year-old patient traumatised. We will offer counselling to the EMS crew members and the patient. We are relieved that the employees and patient escaped with no physical injuries,” Capa said.

Provincial health department spokesperson Mkhululi Ndamase confirmed that the ambulance and equipment that were not recovered were valued at about R1 million.

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