Man charged with theft after ambulance ride

CRESTVIEW  — A man faces a theft charge after he apparently stole a black bag and a stethoscope from an emergency medical technician who was transporting his girlfriend to a hospital.

On Nov. 25 the man was riding in the front of an ambulance that was taking his girlfriend to North Okaloosa Medical Center, while an EMT attended to his girlfriend in the back of the ambulance. The EMT usually kept a black bag containing emergency medical reference guides inside the bag, and a stethoscope, in the front of the ambulance.

When the crew returned to the EMS station, the EMT discovered the items missing and contacted another person, who called security personnel at the hospital.

A guard found the man in an unoccupied room and asked him to come to another room. As they talked, the guard noticed a bulge under the man's shirt and jacket. The guard asked the man to pull up his shirt; when he did, the guard found the black bag. The stethoscope was in the man's pocket.

The man was charged with theft and has a Dec. 18 court date.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Man charged with theft after ambulance ride