Stolen ambulance taken on joy ride through town, stops at YSU

WARREN TWP., Ohio (WKBN) — Warren Township Police are investigating after a township ambulance was taken from one of its fire stations.

The ambulance was later found at Homestead Park in Youngstown. Earlier, it had been spotted trying to get into the Wick Avenue Parking Deck at Youngstown State University, but it was too large to fit through.

A university spokesperson said the ambulance caused minor damage to a sign near the parking deck in the process.

Police Chief Benjamin Harrell said the ambulance was taken from Station 49 on North River Road. He says it was last seen by personnel at the station around 4 p.m. Thursday and was captured on a nearby business surveillance video driving away from the station after 5 a.m. Friday.

“We are still trying to figure out how this happened. I mean, our buildings are very well secured,” said Warren Township Trustee Ed Anthony.

The discovery was made several hours later when a passerby noticed a garage door at the station was open and reported it. Township Trustee Ed Anthony says Fire Chief Joe Natali went to check on the station and found an ambulance was missing.

“We got her back, she’s safe,” said Capt. Julie Knowlton, with the Warren Township Fire Department.

The ambulance is a little banged up. The light bar is broken and a back step bumper was found about 23 miles south in Youngstown.

“It’s bee unnerving and scary knowing our ambulance is out here with our name on it doing God knows what through God knows where,” Knowlton said.

It appears as if the ambulance was just taken on a lengthy joy ride. Kowltown said from what they could tell, all the electronics and the medications that were on board the ambulance were still there.

“That’s what it appears like until they do an investigation and figure out who did this and question them,” Knowlton said.

Jacob Thompson and Chelsea Simeon contributed to this report.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.