AN ambulance has been taken off the road after a satellite navigation system was stolen while paramedics treated a patient in Ipswich.

AN ambulance has been taken off the road after a satellite navigation system was stolen while paramedics treated a patient in Ipswich.

Police have launched an investigation following the theft, which took place in Hawthorn Drive yesterday.

The thief was spotted running down Larkspur Road.

Crew paramedic Pete Sago said: “Once we had conveyed our patient to hospital the vehicle was immediately taken off the road so that it could be checked by the police and for repairs."

Ambulance boss Rob Lawrence, added: "This is an appalling and wasteful crime because the type of system we use in our vehicles is built into the fabric of the vehicle.

“Anybody who is offered a cheap sat-nav should be cautious as it will not work in a civilian vehicle.

“Unlike domestic sat-nav systems, ours are loaded remotely by the control room in Norwich saving crews time and helping them us to reach patients faster.

“The idiot who stole this from our emergency vehicle should be ashamed because it wastes taxpayers' money and puts this vehicle off the road while repairs are made.

“This means one less ambulance in Suffolk to deal with the next life threatening emergency.”