HEARTLESS crooks have been branded “despicable” after stealing life-saving medical equipment, with council bosses saying: “Someone could have died.”

Alresford Village Hall, in Ford Lane, was targeted at about 11.15pm on March 11 by two petty criminals while a family party was taking place.

The pair, who were caught on camera carrying out the theft, snatched an emergency defibrillator from its casing before fleeing the scene.

The equipment is used to treat people who have suffered a cardiac arrest and can make the difference between life and death.

Matt Cooke, Alresford Parish Council’s parish clerk, was left sickened by the selfish act and has slammed those responsible for risking the lives of villagers.

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He said: “I think what is most astonishing is in the week the item was missing someone could have easily died or been hospitalised because of its theft.

“These individuals thought nothing of others and it was a despicable theft.”

Unexpectedly, two weeks after being taken, the defibrillator was returned to Alresford Village Hall by a man "in disguise" believed to be one of the thieves.

Frank Belgrove, chairman of Alresford Parish Council, is now hopeful Essex Police will be able to catch the culprits and bring them to justice.

He said: “Clear CCTV showed the theft taking place and a witness identified one of the suspects from the recorded footage and the police were informed.

“The suspect in the foreground in the [footage] has not been identified yet [but] the suspects are believed to be from the South London area.

"One of them stuffed it under his jumper. It is really really nasty thing to do and is just appalling. 


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"We had a young footballer die about two years ago from a heart attack and that unit has been used to help quite a number of people.

“The defibrillator has now been returned and we await to see what action the police will take. What a despicable crime.”

The news of the defibrillator theft follows an incident in Colchester earlier this year which saw panicked onlookers struggle to access the life-saving medical equipment.

After a man collapsed in the street they desperately tried for half an hour to open the box it was encased in before someone arrived with a different defibrillator.

Unfortunately, however, the casualty could not be saved.

Essex Police have been contacted for comment.