A suspect was taken into custody after stealing an ambulance in Rockford, fleeing from police and traveling through McHenry County before being captured in Chicago Wednesday evening.
The Rockford Police Department responded around 6:15 p.m. Wednesday to Rosecrance Harrison Campus, 3815 Harrison Avenue in Rockford, for a stolen vehicle report.
A yellow ambulance with Superior Ambulance Service was stolen from the addiction treatment center.
An alert was broadcast to area police departments throughout northern Illinois area to be on the lookout for the vehicle.
The alert said the suspect in the stolen ambulance fled from officers at one point.
The ambulance was spotted eastbound on Interstate 90 passing Route 23, south of Marengo, in McHenry County shortly after.
The ambulance was later tracked to eastbound Interstate 290 at 25th Avenue and had its lights activated.
The ambulance passed Central Avenue and numerous police squads located it and attempted to stop it.
The ambulance was reportedly driving recklessly and it exited Interstate 290 at Western Avenue in Chicago.
The Chicago Police Department said they were notified about the stolen vehicle and assisted the Rockford Police Department and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office after the male offender fled from Rockford police in the private ambulance.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office observed the vehicle near the 700 block of North Homan Avenue in Chicago and conducted a traffic stop, police officials said.
Officers placed the adult male suspect into custody around 7:50 p.m. and charges were pending.
The Rockford Police Department has not released information on the incident or said whether charges have been filed yet.
A request for comment from Superior Ambulance Service went unanswered on Thursday and Friday.