Needles stolen from ambulance

Tuesday, August 18, 2009
By David Melson

The theft of hypodermic needles from a Bedford County ambulance Friday wasn't discovered until their container was opened during an emergency call several hours later, officials said.

But patient treatment wasn't compromised, said Chad Graham, director of Bedford County Emergency Medical Service.

"We have multiple sizes (of needles) available," Graham said. "They broke the container and grabbed one size. There were other sizes that would work better."

The ambulance had been parked beside the VFW, Depot Street, for more than two hours Friday afternoon while a stolen car was pulled from Duck River, police were told.

BCEMS Supervisor Doug Peacock and paramedic James Williams told Shelbyville police officer Tory Moore the ambulance was near the building among several parked patrol cars between 3:30 and 5:45 p.m. The ambulance was on standby if needed by emergency workers.

Rescue workers were gathered at the foot of a steep, rutted dirt embankment behind the VFW. The ambulance was out of sight on the other side of large trees.

"There were so many people in the area, around the truck and on the scene that it was impossible to keep a visual on the truck at all times," EMS personnel told Moore.

"A box containing hypodermic needles and IV products was damaged and four 16-gauge catheter needles was taken from inside the container," Moore's report said.

The needles are valued at $2.50 each, Graham said, and were in a container within a department accessible from outside and inside the box-style ambulance.

"It was kind of a fluke incident," Graham said. "It was like a snatch-and-grab. I don't know why they would have wanted those particular size needles. We did an inventory of the ambulance and didn't notice anything else missing or out of place."

Shelbyville police were notified at mid-afternoon Friday of the car in the river. Only a small portion of the 1990 Oldsmobile Regency was visible above water in mid-stream approximately 70 yards west of a boat launching ramp behind the VFW.

Members of Bedford County's Tech Team went to the car by boat, dived and determined no one was inside.

The car was owned by Ronald Greer of Lewisburg and stolen there Aug. 9, police said.

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I guess needles are needles to a junkkie. At least they are clean....

-- Posted by im_just_sayin on Tue, Aug 18, 2009, at 2:45 PM

I was thinking the same thing!!!

-- Posted by MSK on Tue, Aug 18, 2009, at 5:15 PM