A CRETINOUS theft puts lives at risk by the taking of vital equipment from an ambulance (Malvern Gazette & Ledbury Reporter, November 9).

Uncaring citizens from the Three Counties will, as usual, have no real comment, answer or opinion. A despicable theft while an ambulance crew attended a casualty at a fireworks display at the Three Counties Show-ground.

I repeat "uncaring". If I am wrong, why would local citizenry so complacently accept the derisory sentence imposed for the recent (and equally moronic) theft of a Marie Curie charity box? And also have so supinely taken as normal the hypocritical "defence" that "it was a mean little offence but, not of the gravest severity".

The same defence will presumably apply if anyone is ever caught and convicted for the ambulance theft. That it was a mean little offence but "not really of much importance".

FRANK L JONES, Arosa Drive, Malvern.