Ambulance staff were left "shaken" after an Invercargill man hijacked the vehicle and took off — with a police officer and them still inside, Hato Hone St John says.
Police said in a statement the alleged kidnapping lasted about a block before it was foiled by the trapped officer, who managed to knock the ambulance out of gear.
The alleged "antics" unfolded in the early hours of Monday morning, when officers were called to help an ambulance crew dealing with an agitated person in Elles Rd, about 2.25am.
"While a police officer and an ambulance officer were speaking with a man in the back of the ambulance, he jumped into the driver’s seat of the ambulance and allegedly began driving.
"The vehicle travelled about a block before the police officer was able to knock it out of gear and stop it."
After a "brief scuffle", the man was taken into custody.
Hato Hone St John Southland operations manager Braden Stark confirmed the ambulance was "briefly stolen" as its attending crew assessed a patient.
"The two ambulance staff were shaken from the ordeal, but uninjured.
"Police were quickly on the scene to apprehend the offender.
"Hato Hone St John is providing support to our people and will assist the NZ Police in its inquiries."
Relieving Southland area commander Inspector Matt Scoles said the incident could have been tragic.
"Thankfully, nobody was hurt, but there was a risk of serious injury to the people in that ambulance, none of whom were restrained, and a serious risk to the public.
"This was an unpredictable situation and both the police and ambulance officers involved acted swiftly, doing what they could to end it before anything worse happened."
Inquiries were continuing.
A 20-year-old man has been charged with two counts of kidnapping, driving while suspended, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, failing to stop and two counts of resisting police.
The man is scheduled to appear in the Invercargill District Court on July 15.
