Gateshead pensioner left with horrific bruising after thieves try to steal mobility scooter
Last updated 5th Mar 2021
A courageous pensioner has been left with horrific bruising after cruel thieves attacked her as she tried to stop them stealing her mobility scooter.
Ida Brown has been left in agony after foiling the attempted burglary at her home in Dunston as dawn broke on Sunday morning.
The 79-year-old was woken up just after 5.30am when her cat, named Henry VIII because of his size, was disturbed by a noise at the back door.
Ida, who lives alone and is currently battling leukemia, went to see what was going on and noticed shadows outside the back of her home on Ross Avenue.
She opened the door to investigate further but was confronted by two young men who immediately shoved her into the wall and fled the scene.
It left a distraught Ida in a crumple on the floor with an injured knee and significant bruising her to her eyes and face.
Ida has luckily not sustained any long term injuries but she says the incident has left her scared to open her door to strangers.
She said: “They didn’t manage to steal my scooter but I can just remember them running away and shouting ‘we’ll be back’..
“I have leukemia and just had a pace maker fitted in my heart before all this happened so I do need my mobility scooter to get me around.
“My knee is really painful and I couldn’t open my eye for a few days afterwards. Because of my leukemia I can’t have some of the painkillers so it does hurt a lot.
“My neighbours have been really supportive and Henry is a good guard cat but it is scary knowing that they could come back.
“I know I won’t be opening my door to anyone again because I don’t want to put myself in that position.
“I just hope that the police manage to catch the people who did it because there are lots of elderly people round here and I don’t want anyone to go through what I had to.”
Northumbria Police are investigating the robbery and have already carried out extensive enquiries following Sunday morning’s attack.
But Neighbourhood Inspector Alan Davison has called on the community to look at the pictures of Ida’s injuries and put forward the names of those responsible.
He said: “This is an abhorrent attack on a vulnerable pensioner in her own home and we are determined to find those responsible.
“The mobility scooter would clearly belong to someone with a vulnerability and I find it appalling that anyone would try to take it away from someone in need.
“To then shove an elderly woman into a wall, and cause the level of injury that they have done, is beyond comprehension and I know the wider community will share our anger.
“We have carried out extensive enquiries already but we need the help of those living in the Dunston area if we are to identify who they are.
“There will be people out there who know who is responsible and we would urge you to look at these pictures of Ida and ask whether you are happy for those responsible to evade justice.”
Anyone with information that may help police identify those responsible is asked to contact 101 quoting log 504 28/02/21.
You can also report online at the Northumbria Police website or contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.