A thief stole lifesaving equipment from an ambulance before returning to intimidate the paramedics and their elderly patient.

Paramedics Kara Davies and Tamara Van-Zyl were treating a woman in her 70s at her home when the thief struck, taking valuable equipment from the unattended ambulance.

The patient’s son, who saw what happened, bravely chased the culprit as he fled and managed to recover the stolen items, which were worth several thousand pounds.

However, the thief returned to the Canbury Park Road home and intimidated the two paramedics and the patient while the police made their way to the scene.

Mrs Davies, 38, has worked with the ambulance service for seven years and said she has never heard of anything like that happening.

She said: “I was shocked to start with, as you do not expect that sort of thing to happen when you are trying to treat a patient.

“It is a bit disconcerting to know that is going on while you are trying to treat someone. It does not exactly make you feel safe.”

Mrs Davis said the patient was not directly affected by the incident, which happened at about 3am on Tuesday, November 1, but that her treatment was prolonged because of it.

She said: “It is not great from the patient’s perspective because we were doing our best to help her, as well as dealing with the situation going on.

“Although I am really grateful of what [the patient’s son] did. I would not advise people to do that. You do not know what you are dealing with. He placed himself in a situation where he could have been hurt, but we are very grateful we got our stuff back.”

Duty station officer Louise McGraw said the equipment taken included a defibrillator, used to restart the heart.

She said: “If for any reason the patient collapsed and stopped breathing then they would have been deprived of this lifesaving kit.”

Kingston police officers are investigating the incident.

Anyone with any information should call PC Kevin De Viell at Kingston police station on 101 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.