Thieves raid ambulance on callout

Masina Reid says thieves stole her handbag from the ambulance while she tended a seriously ill patient. Photo / Sarah Ivey

As ambulance officer Masina Reid attended to a seriously ill patient, a thief was stealing her bag from the back of the ambulance.

Ms Reid and a colleague were called to a home in Glen Innes on Friday night. But while they were in the house, thieves grabbed a bag and radio equipment from vehicle.

"We were inside the house getting our patient on to the stretcher," said Ms Reid. "We were in the house for 10 minutes. In that time someone went in the back."

The thieves stole Ms Reid's bag, and then used the stolen radio that same night.

"They were listening in on the handheld and interfering through the night, making silly comments," said the mother of four. "I only realised later it was them. It makes you really angry."

Ambulance chiefs say drivers and paramedics are increasingly facing risks in the course of their jobs.

Latest figures show attacks on New Zealand ambulance officers have nearly tripled in the past seven years, from 16 in 2003-04 to 46 in the first half of this year alone.

In another blow to Ms Reid, her colleague was attacked the same night when a hammer and rock were thrown at the windscreen.

Nick Scott, operations team manager and rapid response vehicle paramedic, was travelling to a 15-year-old left unconscious after an assault.

"There were a few lads just walking away, obviously a party had just ended," Mr Scott said. "We were just about to turn on to the driveway when one of the try-hard gangsters threw a hammer and another threw a rock.

"The rock smashed the windscreen but the hammer deflected. It came right through, smacked me in the elbow and we got covered in glass.

"We sat there and tried to comprehend it. It took us an extra 15 minutes to get to the guy."

Ms Reid said the events of the night would not put her off her job - but she would be more cautious from now on.

"Ninety-nine per cent of people are okay, it's just the odd person."

She said it would cost her $300 to replace her personal items.

A handheld radio would cost from $100 to $300.

"The money that I was earning last night, by working an extra shift, will now have to go towards replacing my stolen property, rather than paying for my children's school activities ...

"There are always things to be paid for."