Youths sentenced to prison for joyride with ambulance: 'Joke after a night of partying'

antwerp - Two youths in Belgium have been sentenced to eighteen months in prison and an 800 euro fine for stealing an ambulance in Antwerp.

Two youths in Belgium have been sentenced to eighteen months in prison and an 800 euro fine for stealing an ambulance in Antwerp. The ambulance was stolen last September by a group of young people while it was parked in Antwerp. The staff were at the time providing urgent medical assistance. The vehicle was left a few streets away and was quickly located through a track-and-trace system. The incident led to shocked reactions in Belgium.

The involved youths were identified through footage from the dashcam and the city's cameras. They claimed it was a joke that got out of hand after a night of partying. Three youngsters got into the ambulance, with 21-year-old Jean C. P. driving and taking Ioannis V. (22) and a 17-year-old boy as passengers. The minor was placed in a closed institution by the youth judge in September.

The driver did not dispute the facts but said he acted under peer pressure. Ioannis V. stated that he did not know Jean C. P. would actually drive away with the ambulance, a claim deemed unbelievable by the court. The sentencing also took into account the criminal history of the two youths, who had previous convictions for drug crimes.

The judge found the youths' behavior socially unacceptable. 'In the case of a resuscitation or if additional resources had been needed from the ambulance, this could have had disastrous and potentially fatal consequences for the patient involved. Such actions show no respect for emergency responders, are completely reprehensible, and threaten public safety.'