Community leaders appalled after vandal targets defibrillator

Outraged town figures hope the culprit will be shopped

Community leaders hope Kirriemuir vandals who damaged a lifesaving round-the-clock town centre defibrillator will be shopped by disgusted locals.

The locally-funded machine in Kirriemuir’s Reform Street has been put out of order after the incident in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Police are now investigating the attack on the bright yellow cabinet, and the defibrillator itself has been temporarily placed in the town’s nearby police office, having been situated outside the access office for round-the-clock emergency availability.

The equipment, which can prove vital in heart attack situations, was only put in place last year through the work of Kirriemuir Community Council, whose chairwoman, Jenni Brown, said the incident had sickened residents.

“We really hope anyone who knows anything about this will contact the police or Crimestoppers. JENNI BROWN

“We don’t know the exact circumstances, but can’t believe someone would do this, and hopefully anyone with information will contact the police.”

She said the community council had already received an offer of additional CCTV cover for the machine and the town’s Roods Co-op has said it will take the machine to make it available during their opening hours.

“We are very grateful for the positive response, but obviously the defibrillator will not now be available 24 hours a day.

“The community is disgusted by what has happened. We really hope anyone who knows anything about this will contact the police or Crimestoppers.”

Angus Provost and Kirriemuir councillor Ronnie Proctor said: “I hope the people responsible realise the enormity and seriousness of what they have done. Not long ago we had people putting others at risk by leaving big branches across the road at Tannage Brae, but this is something that could cause someone to lose their life.

“A lot of hard work went in to ensuring this equipment could be put there and this is just thoughtless and needless.”

Fellow Kirriemuir councillor Julie Bell added: “I am really disappointed that people have targeted a community resource that is lifesaving equipment, because you just don’t know when someone is going to need it.”

gbrown@thecourier.co.uk

The machine in Kirriemuir’s Reform Street has been put out of order.