A burglar who stole a life-saving defibrillator in Chatham has been jailed after swift work by officers. Kent Police was called at around 10.30am on Monday 29 December 2025 to the theft of the medical equipment from a property on Clover Street.
Within 24 hours of reviewing CCTV footage of the incident, which took place on Boxing Day, officers identified and arrested David Bateman, who was later charged with burglary and remanded in custody before pleading guilty at Medway Magistrates’ Court, on Wednesday 14 January 2026.
Bateman, 51 and of no fixed address, was also found in breach of a suspended sentence and was imprisoned for 10 months.
Police Constable Thomas Chandler said:
‘We’re very glad to have brought Bateman to justice, however we’ve so far been unable to locate or recover the defibrillator that has, in the recent past, been used to save someone’s life. We are urging anyone with information which could lead to its return to call us on 01634 792209 quoting reference 46/221792/25.’