In a bizarre incident in Canoas, Brazil, a man stole an ambulance late Saturday night following a discharge from a local emergency unit. Witnesses reported that before the theft, the man had received treatment at the Rio Branco Health Unit and lingered in the area after being released. When health professionals returned to the unit to pick up a patient, the suspect seized the opportunity of an unlocked ambulance with the key in the ignition.

After successfully stealing the ambulance, the suspect drove erratically and at high speeds through the streets of the city until the local police, known as the Brigada Militar, were alerted and began a chase. The dangerous ride ended when the stolen vehicle veered off the road and ended up in a ditch on Rua Chicó Mendes in the Niterói neighborhood. The ambulance was severely damaged in the crash.

Emergency services, including the fire department and medical rescue teams (Samu), were called to the scene to assist. The man was trapped inside the wreckage and required rescue efforts to free him. This incident raises concerns about public safety and the security of emergency vehicles, highlighting the desperate actions some individuals may take even in moments of vulnerability.