The Oakland Fire Department reports that an unknown suspect stole their Jaws of Life tool while they were out on a call rescuing a little girl trapped in a swing at a local park.
Thief steals ‘Jaws of Life’ tool after Oakland firefighters rescue girl stuck in swing.
A hydraulic “Jaws of Life” tool was stolen after firefighters used it to rescue a 10-year-old girl stuck in a swing at a park in Oakland.
The incident occurred at a park near 16th and West streets in West Oakland around 7 p.m. on Friday. Charles Welch, the girl’s grandfather, explained that she had climbed into a swing that was too small for her and became trapped.
The Oakland Fire Department responded to the scene and had to use the “Jaws of Life” to free the girl, who was tightly wedged into the swing, legs and all. Welch recounted, “My granddaughter got caught in the seat, and when I arrived, they had already cut the seat loose.”
A nearby market manager told KTVU that the girl was frightened and in distress. “They first tried to cut the swing, but it was too tight. The girl was screaming, so they had to take the whole swing down,” he said.
Fortunately, the girl was successfully freed and is expected to be okay. However, in the aftermath, firefighters discovered that their hydraulic tool, valued at about $15,000, had been stolen.
Welch speculated that someone, possibly homeless, might have taken the tool with the intent to sell it. The “Jaws of Life,” which weighs about 55 pounds, is heavy but still manageable enough for someone to carry off.
The tool belonged to the firefighters at Station 1, located just a few blocks from the park. Michael Hunt, a spokesperson for the fire department, noted that these tools are primarily used to extricate people from vehicles involved in accidents.
Surveillance cameras at the nearby market captured footage of a ladder truck responding to the park, but the theft itself was not recorded.
Someone stole a hydraulic “Jaws of Life” tool after firefighters used it to save a girl stuck in a swing in Oakland.