Child's heart monitor is stolen

Stephen Og Leckey had a pacemaker put in last week

An ill toddler's heart monitor has been stolen during a weekend break-in at his family's home in Dunmurry.

Stephen Og Leckey, who is two and a half, has had open heart surgery twice and had a pacemaker put in last week.

His mother, Roseleen, said it was very distressing as her son will have to undergo tests again.

"I'm just angry at the fact that the tests are going to have to be completed again next week, because he's been through so much," she said.

"It's heartbreaking for him and for me to see him having to go through all these tests."

She said the device, which was monitoring the effectiveness of the pacemaker, would be of no use to the people who stole it.

"This heart monitor had to be used for another child maybe next week," she said.

"Now I feel like I'm going to have to replace the heart monitor without knowing the cost of it."

The device monitored the child's pacemaker

She said she taught children in the area who had been involved in petty crime and had tried to help them move away from such activity.

"I'm very angry with whoever took the monitor, I'm also angry at the fact that that they were in my home."

Cash and other items were also stolen during the break-in.

Stephen's grandfather, Anthony McCabe, said the monitor was about the size of a MP3 player or a small mobile phone but it should have been clear to the thieves it was neither of these.

He said unless the burglars were on drugs "or completely stupid they should have known what it was or should have known it wasn't what they thought it was".

Consultant Dr Brian Craig from the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Belfast said taking the monitor was pointless.

"It's of no use to them outside of the hospital because the data which is recorded on this piece of equipment needs to be analysed here in the children's hospital on the base unit," he said

"It's going to be no monetary value whatsoever to those who have taken it."

The hospital and the family have both appealed for the monitor to be handed back.