Missing Ilfracombe defibrillator returned after public appeal
A vital life-saving device has been restored to its rightful place in Ilfracombe High Street following a police appeal over initial fears it had been stolen
A life-saving defibrillator which had been feared stolen from Ilfracombe High Street has been found thanks to a public appeal.
Concerns were raised after the device, worth £1,500 and which can be used by anyone, was discovered missing from its cabinet on a wall near The Arches in the centre of the High Street.
Police issued an appeal yesterday (Wednesday, November 4) for information to help locate the defibrillator, which was assumed to have been stolen.
Instead, it transpired the equipment had been honestly used due to a genuine need.
Sergeant Rob Brown explained, saying: “A member of the public saw yesterday’s appeal and contacted us. The defibrillator had been used during a medical incident and was inadvertently left at a property in the town afterwards.
“The good news is that this vital piece of equipment is now back in its rightful place and is once again available for use by the community. We would like to thank everyone who assisted us and shared our appeal.”
Public access defibrillators can be used by anyone in the event of a cardiac emergency, delivering a controlled electric shock to the heart. Typically the ambulance service will provide a code and talk the caller through its use, although the devices themselves provide audio instructions.