Palm Island teen, 15, trashes ambulance in spate of car break-ins

A teenager has been arrested after vandalising an ambulance and breaking into multiple cars, leaving a paramedic feeling “helpless” after his van was defaced.

A teenager has been arrested after vandalising an ambulance and breaking into multiple cars on Palm Island, leaving a paramedic feeling “helpless” after his van was defaced.

A 15-year-old Palm Island teenager was taken into custody on Monday after a resident busted him trying to break into another car and grabbed him, holding him until police arrived.

Palm Island officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Dave Rutherford said the teenager was allegedly involved in five car break-ins around dawn Monday morning.

He allegedly smashed the windows of four cars, but stole just one can of deodorant.

The teenager also allegedly smashed the window of an ambulance, which was parked in a yard, and let off a fire extinguisher inside the four-wheel drive vehicle.

The interior of the ambulance was covered in foam from a fire extinguisher.

The teenager broke in through the window, and trashed the car.

White residue from the fire extinguisher was left on the inside of the car.

Queensland Ambulance Service worker, Gerald Wotton, said he came back from some days off to find the ambulance vandalised.

“One of our fire extinguishers sprayed right throughout the ambulance, which is a harmful chemical … it was to the point where I had to put on a chemical hazard suit just to drive it to the barge to go back to Townsville as it is so bad we can no longer use it,” Mr Wotton wrote on a social media post.

Queensland Ambulance Service worker, Gerald Wotton, with the vandalised ambulance.

“It’s just getting to out of hand … it’s our own kids of Palm Island doing this to there (sic) own community.

“We gotta (sic) understand, now if one of your or my family members was really sick and needed the ambulance urgently, then there’s no ambulances.”

Glass from the broken window was left on the seat.

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A Palm Island resident caught the kid in the act, and detained him until police arrived to take him into custody.

He has been charged with multiple offences, including enter premise with intent to commit an indictable offence, and other charges for more acts of vandalism at the weekend.

Sen-Sgt Rutherford said the teenager was wanted for setting a bin on fire, and throwing rocks at police officers and a police car on Saturday.

He will face court today.

Originally published as Palm Island teen, 15, trashes ambulance in spate of car break-ins