Call for change in law after spate of defibrillator thefts in Dudley
A St John Ambulance volunteer and councillor has called for a change in the law after a spate of thefts of life-saving defibrillators across a borough.
Dudley councillor Adam Aston, who also works as a paramedic for West Midlands Ambulance Service, has set up an online petition calling on the Government to categorise the theft of medical or lifesaving equipment as aggravated offences which carry a heftier sentence in law.
Two public access defibrillators belonging to St John Ambulance have recently been stolen within Councillor Aston's Upper Gornal and Woodsetton Ward.
He said: “Without a doubt, the damage or theft of equipment such as defibrillators, bleed kits or buoyancy aids puts lives at risk and I think the law should recognise this.
"I would like to see these thefts treated as aggravated offences which would carry a more severe sentence and act as a deterrent."
A defibrillator is a device which delivers a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone who has suffered a cardiac arrest and can be found in an increasing number of public locations across the UK.
A JustGiving page to replace the two stolen defibrillators and increase their security has been set up and has already raised more than £700.
Visit the page here: justgiving.com/crowdfunding/uppergornaldefib
