4/3/23 St. Louis, MO – Woman Steals St. Louis Fire Department Ambulance From Medical Call – Sings On Radio And Drives To Illinois – Captured In Sauget, Illinois – Police Broke Window To Get Her Out

A 37-year-old woman is facing possible charges after being arrested in a stolen St. Louis Fire Department ambulance Saturday night.

According to police, around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday an ambulance from Engine House 31 was sent to City Foundry STL on a “sick call.” Paramedics encountered commotion and confusion, and Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said the thief took advantage of the situation.

“As they were looking at the scene, making sure that was the patient or that wasn’t the patient. Their ambulance, which was parked a very short distance away, somebody jumped into the ambulance, Medic 31 and stole our ambulance,” Jenkerson said.

As the thief drove around in the ambulance, she started speaking and even singing on the ambulance radio. News 4 obtained the recordings of her on the radio.

“Hello, I am such a girl. Teach me how to park. You going to tell me which button to press,” the woman said.

Jenkerson said all ambulances and fire trucks have GPS devices, so their whereabouts are always known. While the ambulance started driving east on Forest Park Parkway, the woman sang into the radio microphone.

“Going to Illinois to get an abortion,” she said.

According to Sauget Police Chief James Jones, Illinois State Police notified his police department about the stolen ambulance, and his officers were waiting to intercept it. Apparently, the thief believed the officers following her were not allowed to follow her into a different state.

“I see you. I’m getting across the bridge. You guys can’t follow me anymore, idiots,” she said.

Jones said his officers stopped the ambulance on Highway 3. But he said they had to break a window to get her out of the vehicle and take her into custody. The woman was turned over to the St. Louis Police Department and taken to a hospital for a mental evaluation.

Jenkerson said ambulances are rarely stolen. He said the vehicle is valued at $250,000.