Hialeah Police Department apprehended a man yesterday after he was accused of stealing an ambulance from Hialeah Hospital. The suspect reportedly seized the emergency vehicle while its driver was inside the hospital at the emergency room entrance, attending to patient admission duties, as WSVN reports.
The theft occurred around 3:21 a.m. at the hospital's address of 651 East 25th Street, the police said that the ambulance operator had stepped away for a mere moment to perform their medical duties and during this narrow window, the suspect took advantage of the opportunity and made off with the vehicle. Officers were able to track the stolen ambulance live via GPS and onboard cameras, which provided them with the up-to-the-minute location and visual on the suspect, this detailed tracking allowed law enforcement to respond swiftly to the unfolding situation.
According to NBC Miami, the police managed to locate the ambulance traveling south on Northwest 27th Avenue and pulled over the suspect on the on-ramp to State Road 836. The individual apprehended was identified as 23-year-old Elijah Luis Motanez, who was taken into custody with no incident reported, and subsequently transported to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center facing charges.
Motanez is currently facing a charge of third-degree grand theft, the ambulance in question was successfully recovered and returned to its rightful owners MCT Ambulance Services, who were likely relieved to have their vital medical equipment back intact, as for the motives behind Motanez's actions, they have not been clarified at the moment which raises questions about what compelled the 23-year-old to commit such a risky theft, authorities may seek to uncover these reasons as they move forward with the case.
