Thief breaks into ambulance and steals crew's bags

Footage of a thief breaking into an ambulance and making off with the paramedics' belongings has been released by the London Ambulance Service (LAS).

The locked ambulance was parked in Sandridge Close in Harrow, north London while the crew were treating a patient inside their home.

The CCTV from the ambulance was taken at around 17:00 BST on 6 May. It shows the offender jumping head first into the cab of the ambulance, grabbing two bags then running off.

LAS acting chief executive Dr Fenella Wrigley said: "To deliberately target our crew in this way is appalling and they are understandably extremely upset."

Dr Wrigley added: "The damage caused to the ambulance means it is now off the road being repaired, unable to respond to patients.

"The money to repair the damage would be better spent on caring for our patients."

CCTV is installed in the service's ambulances and response cars as part of a crew safety system which includes panic buttons and electronic tracking.

London Ambulance Service has released the footage in the hope someone will recognise the thief so they can be brought to justice.

Anyone with information about the incident has been asked to contact the police.