The couple, who did not wish to be named, woke yesterday morning to find their small child’s EpiPen had disappeared after an intruder or intruders had rifled through their vehicle.

The family kept the EpiPen in the car in case their small boy, who has a nut allergy, suffered a potentially fatal anaphylactic reaction. The auto-injecting device contains a single dose of epinephrine to be used for the emergency treatment of life-threatening allergic reactions.

The father told the Daily Liberal he noticed the vehicle’s glovebox open and a black bag containing the EpiPen missing from the car when he got inside yesterday.

He said it had been parked in the family’s garage in York Street.

“They must have thought it had drugs in it or something,” he said.

“Possibly they were looking for iPods or phones or other electronic equipment. There were actually a lot of power tools and things in the garage that were untouched.”

The father said everywhere the family went they made sure they had at least one EpiPen with them. 

“We have it because we need it,” he said.

The first thing the couple did yesterday morning was go out to get a replacement EpiPen.

The father said both the family’s car and garage had been unlocked, and he urged other residents not to be as complacent as he had been.

“It’s normally a pretty good area,” he said.

The mother, despite the frustrating loss, said she was concerned someone could harm themselves if they used the EpiPen incorrectly.

The incident was reported to police.

Contributors to Facebook page Dubbo Crime Reports were disgusted at the theft when reports of the incident were posted.

“That’s just disgusting and so wrong on so many levels,” wrote one.

“Cut a finger off every time (they) steal at least then we know who the thieves are it may just teach them a lesson,” posted another.

Another contributor wrote that the culprit or culprits needed “a good floggen with a bat across their legs so they don’t do it again they are just getting outta of control grrrr.”