Equipment Stolen From Ambulances

Dozens of items have been stolen from ambulances in recent years including lifesaving equipment, medicines and even vehicle parts.

Laptops, response kits, paperwork, radios, mobile phones, laptops and personal items were also among the items stolen in the 31 incidents over the last three years, figures uncovered by the Conservative Party show.

The Scottish Ambulance Service has stressed that the stolen phones did not hold patient information, the laptops were encrypted, and the paperwork theft had been reported to the Information Commissioner for Scotland.

Conservative chief whip John Lamont said: The idea of thieves targeting ambulances while paramedics attempt to save lives is sickening.

People will be disgusted that this has occurred so many times across Scotland over the last three years.

There may well be questions for the ambulance service about security of vehicles, but paramedics can hardly be expected to worry about break-ins while patients' lives are at risk.

Clearly the contents of ambulances make for appealing rummaging among some crooks.

But anyone caught thieving from these vehicles is the lowest of the low, and must be treated as such by the law if and when they are caught.''