'Soul-destroying': Paramedics devastated as defibrillator is stolen from church - again
Paramedics have been left devastated after a defibrillator was stolen from outside a church for a second time.
The defibrillator and bleed kit were lifted from a locked cabinet on the wall of Upper Gornal Methodist Church on Spills Meadow between March 26 and 27.
The life-saving equipment – which costs more than £1,000 – was donated two years ago after a defibrillator and bleed kit were stolen from the same location.
Carol Littler, unit manager of St John Ambulance in Upper Gornal, said: "Our members are devastated that the defibrillator has been stolen yet again, there is damage to the cabinet which would indicate it has been forced open.
"The bleed kit had recently been provided to us by the police, so to lose this is particularly disappointing.
"We had hoped that a spate of defibrillator thefts a couple of years ago wouldn’t be repeated."
Councillor Adam Aston, a paramedic and area president for St John Ambulance in Dudley, said: "It’s soul-destroying that a second community access defibrillator has been stolen from the Upper Gornal community, it was replaced by donation two years ago after the first one was stolen.
"I am only too aware of the importance of this kit, its only purpose is to save a life. I honestly can’t understand why anyone would do this."
The stolen machine is a Cardiac Science Powerheart G5 in a distinctive orange colour. Anyone with information is asked to contact West Midlands Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
