A 15-YEAR-old boy has been arrested and questioned in Wicklow over criminal damage to a defibrillator.
The incident occurred on 29 December outside the 7Eleven shop in Arklow. CCTV footage shows three males outside the store, with one pulling the €2,000 device off the wall.
Following the incident, there were calls for strict penalties for those who damage or interfere with defibrillators. Minister for Health Simon Harris also expressed his ‘disgust’, commenting that the devices are vital in communities.
It sparked a surge in local donations to Arklow Community First Responders, who managed to raise enough money in the days following the incident to replace the device.
“It is a credit to the people of Arklow and really shows how a community can come together in support of a cause that they believe in,” the charity said last week.
A garda spokesperson confirmed a 15-year-old boy was arrested yesterday. He was questioned by gardaí in relation to the incident and was released without charge pending further enquiries.
- With reporting by Garreth MacNamee.
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