Coogee Courtyard: Cafe owner erupts over ‘dog act’ and makes a heartfelt plea to those responsible
The owner of a Sydney cafe has issued an urgent appeal after a defibrillator was stolen from the busy beachside eatery.
Coogee Courtyard owner Dave Martin bought the expensive $3,000 machine about a year ago to ensure people had access to the life-saving device in the event of a heart attack.
However, the machine was stolen from its wall-mounted box sometime last week.
“There’s not really one at the basin in Coogee. I thought it would be a good idea to buy one – for the community, really,” he said.
‘I think it was some drunken young men. Anyone with a brain wouldn’t put up with it.’
The owner of a renowned Sydney cafe has issued an urgent appeal after a life-saving defibrillator was stolen from the busy beachside eatery
At the time the machine was located in a wall-mounted box near the entrance to the cafe, with Mr Martin believing the theft occurred at night when the cafe was unattended.
Automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) are used to revive people in the event of sudden cardiac arrest. About 3,800 people in NSW experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year.
About 90 percent of these cases result in death, but resuscitation and defibrillation can increase survival rates by as much as 70 percent.
As per protocol, the AED was registered in the government register, unlocked and available to people at all times.
Mr Martin said he had not yet reported the theft to police and called on the perpetrator to return the machine, no questions asked.
“I’m going to have to replace it because if someone needs it and there’s an empty box in there, I’ll never forgive myself,” he said.
‘Bring it back. Put it back in the box and all will be forgiven, and the community will be happy again.
“It’s not something you would expect to be stolen, it’s there for the good of everyone.”
The machine was located in a wall-mounted box near the entrance to the cafe, with Mr Martin believing the theft occurred at night when the cafe was unattended.
Coogee Courtyard owner Dave Martin bought the expensive $3,000 machine about a year ago to ensure people had access to the life-saving device in the event of a heart attack
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park branded the theft an ‘act of dog’ and called on the perpetrators to right their wrongs.
“These devices are not toys,” he said.
‘Not only are they expensive, but more importantly, they save lives.
‘This is a dog act. Whoever took it must do the right thing and return it before someone’s life is seriously endangered.”