AICHI, Apr 27 (News On Japan) - A 57-year-old man was arrested after allegedly stealing a fire engine dispatched to a suspicious fire near a railway station in Aichi Prefecture, then crashing it about 9 kilometers away while attempting to drive back to his home in Chiba Prefecture.
Police said the suspect, who claims to live in Kisarazu, Chiba, stole the vehicle at around 4:30 a.m. on April 26 from the rotary area outside Meitetsu Kowa Station.
Witnesses said the fire engine appeared to have rammed into something, with visible damage to its front section.
According to investigators, the man told police he had no money and wanted to return to Kisarazu. He allegedly said he set fire to the wall of a women's restroom at the station so that firefighters would arrive, giving him a chance to steal the vehicle.
While three crew members were away checking the scene, the suspect is believed to have driven off in the fire engine. He was later stopped and arrested by pursuing police officers near railway tracks in Taketoyo, about 9 kilometers from the station.
The fire engine had reportedly been left unlocked with its engine running so it could immediately begin pumping water if needed. Firefighters had placed wheel chocks behind the rear tires but had not shut off the engine.
The Chita Nanbu Fire Department said this was standard operating procedure during emergency responses.
Officials from another fire department said locking a fire engine while keeping the engine running would be highly impractical during active firefighting operations, as crews frequently need quick access to onboard equipment and shutting down the engine could delay water discharge.
The unprecedented theft of an emergency vehicle during a callout has prompted the Chita Nanbu Fire Department to review its management procedures and consider preventive measures.
Source: CBC Television News from Japan
