Drugs stolen from ambulance while on emergency calls in Blantyre on Boxing Day

Dec 29 2011 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

POLICE were this week warning the public not to take any drugs from a paramedic response bag stolen from an ambulance on an emergency call in Blantyre on Boxing Day.

The ambulance was responding to a 999 call in the town’s Logan Street when the medicine was nicked about 1pm.

After attending to the patient, the paramedics returned to the ambulance and found the response bag was missing from the back of the vehicle.

The theft was reported to the police via the ambulance control room.

The following day about 10am, a member of the public reported they had found a paramedic bag in the garden of a house in Anford Place, Blantyre.

They handed the bag in to Blantyre Police Office where police found that the blue paramedic medicine bag was missing.

Most of the other contents were in the five by four-inch bag which is described as being blue canvas with a carry handle.

It has the Scottish Ambulance Service badge and “Paramedic Kit” on the front.

Officers urged the public not to attempt to take any of the medicines, which include Diazenuls (an intravenous diazepam), adrenaline, atropine and amiodrone, which are cardiac drugs, and GTN (also known as nitroglycerine) as they should only be taken under strict medical supervision.

Sergeant Mark Stirling of Blantyre Police Office said: “I am appealing to anyone who may have seen someone hanging around Logan Street around lunchtime on Boxing Day to get in touch, or anyone who noticed someone with a paramedic response bag.

“I would also warn any member of the public not to take any of these medicines as they should only ever be given under medical supervision.”

Anyone who has been offered these hospital drugs or can help officers with their enquiries should contact Sergeant Stirling on 202500 or telephone Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where calls are free and anonymity can be maintained.