A cafe has been left distraught after its defibrillator was stolen just months after being installed. The Cafe at Ridgeway on Allt-Yr-Yn Avenue, Newport said its defibrillator was stolen overnight between Monday, April 18 and Tuesday, April 19 and that three of its CCTV cameras were also taken.
The life-saving equipment was installed at the cafe back in December after a campaign by the Defibrillators for Glasllwch School, Ridgeway & Allt-Yr-Yn areas group along with support from charity Jack’s Appeal ABUHB. The cafe posted on social media after the discovery saying three of its outdoor CCTV cameras had been taken from the premises as well as the defibrillator which it said "the community worked hard for raising funds."
Read more: Man taken to hospital after Newport assault
Claudia Alonzi-Lewis, manager of The Cafe at Ridgeway, said: "The girls had finished the night before and everything was fine. I came in at half past seven the following morning and there was a mess on the ground and one of our high stools was on the ground. I looked up and saw all the wires from the CCTV cameras hanging down and realised they were gone."
Ms Alonzi-Lewis said it wasn't until a few hours later when a colleague told her the defibrillator installed outside the cafe was missing. "It's in a box and covered with an outer shell and a door that only opens with a code which wasn't missing, so we hadn't noticed anything was wrong. There was no damage to the outside. We've told the ambulance service to cancel it. We have other CCTV cameras but we don't know yet if it was recorded or not."
She added that she didn't know how the defibrillator had been stolen but said it had cost around £2,000 and was hoping funds could be raised to replace it.
"It's not even been here for very long. We've been so lucky since we've been here, even during lockdown. It's devastating to think someone would go that far and damage something that benefits people's health. It's crazy. I hope we'll be able to raise enough to replace it as soon as we can."
Welsh Ambulance Service shared an appeal for information on the incident on Wednesday:
The cafe has informed police who have confirmed they are investigating the incident. A Gwent Police spokesperson said: "We received a report of theft after a defibrillator was taken from Allt-Yr-Yn Avenue in Newport between 7.15pm on Monday, April 18 and 7.30am on Tuesday, April 19.
"Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call 101 or send us a direct message on social media, quoting log reference 2200128525. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 with details."
