A DEFIBRILLATOR which was installed after a community fundraiser and CCTV cameras have been taken by vandals at a popular Newport café.

Vandals targeted the Café at Ridgeway overnight, ripping off three CCTV cameras and taking the defibrillator from the case mounted on the outside wall.

It is thought the vandals targeted the café between 6.45pm on Monday, April 18 and 7.30am on Tuesday, April 19.

The defibrillator had been installed in December, after the ‘Defibrillators for Glasllwch School, Ridgeway & Allt-Yr-Yn areas’ group raised more than £1,400 to install the life-saving equipment at the café and at Glasllwch School.

South Wales Argus: The defibrillator was installed at the Café at Ridgeway in December. Picture: Leanne Andrews.The defibrillator was installed at the Café at Ridgeway in December. Picture: Leanne Andrews.

The campaign was also supported by the charity Jack’s Appeal ABUHB, after the group got in touch with June Thomas – whose son Jack, 15, died from cardiac arrest in Oakdale ten years ago.

Jack’s Appeal ABUHB has provided more than 100 community defibrillators across Gwent and works with schools in the area to make sure they have access to one.

Claudia Alonzi-Lewis, from the café, said: “I turned up at 7.30am. There was a bit of a mess on the floor, and some pieces of metal. I then noticed the three cameras had been damaged, the wires had been ripped down.

South Wales Argus: Damage to the defibrillator. Picture: Café at Ridgeway.Damage to the defibrillator. Picture: Café at Ridgeway.

“At about 1pm I went back out to have another look and me and one of the other members of staff noticed the defibrillator was gone. There was no visible damage to the outside of the case.

“We’re a defibrillator down now. It’s a shame as the community all chipped in for that.”

Stacey Hale, one of the organisers of the ‘Defibrillators for Glasllwch School, Ridgeway and Allt-Yr-Yn areas’ group, said: “It’s just disgusting. It was the community who funded this and the defibrillator was there for use by the community.

South Wales Argus: Damage to the CCTV cameras at the Café at Ridgeway. Picture: Café at Ridgeway.Damage to the CCTV cameras at the Café at Ridgeway. Picture: Café at Ridgeway.

“It’s just appalling. It’s there to save lives. It’s not going to be any use to anyone now. Someone’s taken that away now.

“It’s a slap in the face to the people who donated to raise such a fantastic sum of money.”

If anyone has any information about the vandalism, they should contact Gwent Police on 101 or via social media.