Exclusive: 'It's a nightmare' - Disabled man's mobility scooter stolen in Belfast
A disabled man has spoken exclusively to DT/Cool FM and called his situation 'a nightmare' after his mobility scooter was stolen in Belfast City Centre.
Malcolm McCormick was pushed off of the scooter in an altercation on Thursday night in the Custom House Square area.
"Somebody came up to me and asked 'can I have a go on the scooter?'," Malcolm said.
"I told them they couldn't because it wasn't insured for that and then they took the keys and pushed me off the seat.
"They took the scooter and they didn't come back."
The scooter itself is worth around £3,000 but it's value goes beyond the simply financial for Malcolm.
It's his primary means of getting around, with his disability meaning he can't go too far on his walker without having to stop to rest.
"It's just a disaster, that someone would do this to someone who's disabled," the distraught Belfast man said.
"I'm really struggling, I'm stuck in the house here at the minute, I've no means really of getting from A to B.
"My nerves are ready to go here, basically looking at these four walls all day."
He has been in contact with his insurance company and the police to report the theft, but it could be some time before he is able to get another scooter sorted.
"I could be left without any equipment for up to 21 days," he said.
"I'm hoping to get a temporary one, but I'm not 100% sure it's going to happen at the minute."
He is thankful though that he wasn't more seriously hurt in the incident.
"It could have been worse," he said.
"I could have ended up in hospital with a head injury or a broken leg or something like that."
The scooter is described as being all black, with a basket on the front and anyone who sees it has been asked to report it to police on 101.