Lives are at risk after a defibrillator was stolen from the Motueka Valley at the start of Easter Weekend.
Chairperson of the Motueka Valley Defibrillator Group, Gloria Anderson, says that the charity has worked hard to raise funds to install defibrillators at different locations in the valley, including one at Four Foot Lodge on the West Bank Rd.
But early in the hours of Good Friday morning, the defibrillator was stolen from its box, along with some nearby solar lights.
“For a small community that tries to put our pennies together and maintain them for the good of the public as well as the community, it’s extremely disappointing.”
The defibrillator was installed in November after a successful grant from Network Tasman.
“We have several community members who are very generous and will put funds in every year to maintain them,” Gloria says.
This maintenance included replacing pads and batteries as well as getting the devices serviced.
“We find it absolutely absurd that anyone could steal a medical emergency device. I am lost for words. It has really angered the community.”
She says they know it was stolen and not just taken for use because of the solar lights that were also missing.
“We think it was just an opportunist. It was one or two in the morning. Because it’s a kennel the dogs went ballistic so they knew something was wrong.”
But it wasn’t until later in the afternoon they realised the defibrillator was missing.
Gloria says it is “absolutely useless” for anything other than its purpose, so can’t understand why it was taken.
“It’s not like you can just shock someone with it. It’s mindboggling really,” she says.
“My appeal to someone is if they want to leave it somewhere obvious, let me know it’s there, I don’t care, we just want it back. This could save somebody’s life.”
