A brazen theft of a private ambulance turned Jerome Avenue into a crash scene Thursday when a man jumped into an idling rig outside a Bronx dispatch office near East 213th Street and sped off, police said. The vehicle headed north past Woodlawn Cemetery, clipped another car, and ultimately crashed at East 233rd Street.
As reported by the New York Daily News, the ambulance belonged to RCA Ambulance Services, and officers said the suspect climbed into the vehicle with the keys still in the ignition. The rig traveled north on Jerome Avenue and crashed after sideswiping another vehicle at East 233rd Street, according to the outlet.
Ambulance Company And Where It Was Taken From
RCA Ambulance Services lists a Bronx dispatch location at 3578 Jerome Ave, according to RCA Ambulance Services. That address lines up with reports that the private ambulance was taken from outside the company’s Bronx office.
Injuries And Investigation
Police told the New York Daily News that two people in the struck car, a 41-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, suffered minor injuries and were taken to North Central Bronx Hospital. A third person refused medical treatment at the scene.
The suspect also suffered minor injuries, remained unidentified as of Thursday, and faced pending charges while investigators continued to review the case, according to police.
Why It Matters
The episode highlights how a single unattended emergency vehicle can turn into a public safety problem in a hurry, and it raises fresh questions about fleet security for private ambulance operators. Neighbors and local leaders often point to small gaps in protocol that can have outsized consequences when emergency vehicles are left vulnerable, and investigators will likely comb through dispatch logs and nearby surveillance footage as the case moves forward.
