• Albany Fire Department's Rescue 9 paramedic truck is a 2011 Ford F350. The Arrowhead paramedic unit stationed at the Delaware Avenue fire station. Photo: Albany Permanent Professional Firefighters Association Local 2007
Photo: Albany Permanent Professional Firefighters Association Local 2007
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Albany Fire Department's Rescue 9 paramedic truck is a 2011 Ford F350. The Arrowhead paramedic unit stationed at the Delaware Avenue fire station.

Albany Fire Department's Rescue 9 paramedic truck is a 2011 Ford F350. The Arrowhead paramedic unit stationed at the Delaware Avenue fire station.

Photo: Albany Permanent Professional Firefighters Association Local 2007
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Larry Blanding

Larry Blanding

Photo: Albany Police
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ALBANY — A 28-year-old city man is accused of stealing a paramedic rescue truck from the Albany Fire Department, city police said Monday.

Albany firefighters — who are also trained paramedics — were treating someone for a medical emergency at 11:25 a.m. on Hudson Avenue, between Ontario Street and Perry Place, when a man stole their parked but still running rescue truck, police said.

Moments after the firefighters reported the theft, a city police officer saw Rescue 9 driving westbound on Clinton Avenue near Quail Street and tried to stop the truck.

The driver refused to stop and led police on a brief chase down Clinton Avenue. The man stopped just before the intersection with Robin Street and was arrested by police.

Larry Blanding is charged with felony grand larceny, unlawfully fleeing a police officer and reckless driving. He will be arraigned in Albany City Criminal Court.