Ambulance Stolen From Concord Hospital Keeps Cops And Others Busy

CONCORD, NH — Concord police, New Hampshire State Police troopers, and others spent about 30 minutes tracking down a stolen ambulance on Friday night.

Around 7:30 p.m., police dispatch received a call from Concord Hospital security reporting an ambulance stolen from the campus. The ambulance was a Lifestar Ford Transit van. A woman reportedly hopped in the van while parked in the ambulance bay and drove away in an unknown direction.

Police began searching the West End, South End, and Downtown neighborhoods for the ambulance. An employee also gave the police the registration number.

During the search, police stopped a Stewart Ambulance and realized it was not the same van. Dispatch also learned the possible suspect was staying at the McKenna House on South Fruit Street, not far from the hospital. Dispatch also learned there was a laptop in the van that was being tracked by Lifestar. At the time, the van was in Clinton and South Fruit streets. A few minutes later, it was reported to be in Bow.

Officers drove down Clinton Street, Silk Farm Road, and South Street toward Bow, searching for the ambulance, but they had no luck finding it.

Around 7:45 p.m., state police began searching the area. Dispatch also told officers a company supervisor had a radio and reported the woman accused of stealing the ambulance was messing with the radio controls inside the vehicle.

“I’m not sure if you want to try and have someone talk to her on the radio,” dispatch said to one of the officers in the field.

The vehicle was described as a white van with blue and orange stripes.

Just before 8 p.m., an employee with Stewart Ambulance reported speaking with the woman. They were also following the van on South Fruit Street. According to scanner chatter, the employee said the woman told them she struck a mailbox and wanted to return to the hospital.

The computer also had the van in the area of Bela View Drive and Clinton Street but that was about 15 minutes before. Another report said the van was on Pleasant Street near Kensington Road. Merrimack County Sheriff’s deputies also joined in the search.

Just after 8 p.m., the van was spotted at Trinity Baptist Church and the woman was detained. There was no one else inside the van, one officer said.

News 603 posted a video on Facebook.

The suspect, according to prior reports on Patch, has been arrested on child endangerment, criminal trespass, receiving stolen property, driving after suspension, and warrants during the past nine years. Patch is not publishing her name now but will when her official charges are released.

Concord NH Patch will update this post when more information becomes available.

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