Suspect steals ambulance with worker inside, leads troopers on chase down I-294: police

COOK COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) -- Our coverage of this story has moved here.

Someone who stole an ambulance with an employee in the back was taken down after a chase on Interstate 294 in Cook County Tuesday afternoon, Illinois State Police said.

The president and COO of LifeLine Ambulance, in a statement, said the suspect stole the vehicle from a Niles parking lot as crew members had stepped away for lunch.

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Niles police said the theft happened just before 4 p.m. in the Portillo's parking lot on Dempster Street.

While there was no patient inside at the time, there was a crew member in the back. The employee called 911 at about 3:50 p.m., state police said.

The ambulance was driving south on I-294 from Dempster Street to Ogden Avenue, nearly 20 miles, during rush hour, police said.

It was driving erratically, before police surrounded the vehicle, video shows.

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The ambulance was driving south on I-294, north of Ogden Avenue, when it got stuck in traffic.

Chopper 7 was following the vehicle. Prior to hitting traffic, it had been cutting off other cars.

Police set up spike strips, disabling the tires, and bringing the vehicle to a stop near Ogden.

Just before 4:30 p.m., police surrounded the ambulance, drew guns and broke out the driver's-side window, before at least one person was pulled out.

Police arrested someone who had stolen an ambulance Tuesday.

The suspect was taken into custody, and Niles police said he was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment.

The employee, uninjured, was rescued.

LifeLine Ambulance credited the crew member for helping police stop and catch the suspect, bringing this wild chase to an end.

Police were able to drive the ambulance off the highway and out of traffic.

The theft is under investigation.