North Sheilds OAP has cash and mobility scooter stolen
Police are appealing for witnesses after an elderly man had cash and his mobility scooter stolen in North Shields. It happened after the 89-year-old man had been in Nile Road Post Office between 3pm and 3.30pm on Monday, January 9. When there he felt unwell and met a woman customer he did not know, who told staff at the Post Office that she was his carer and assisted him. She then escorted him to his home while he used his mobility scooter. The elderly man was grateful for her help and invited her into his home for a cup of tea to say thank you. After she had left he found that he had cash stolen from his jacket and his red Mercury mobility scooter and charger had also been stolen. The woman who befriended him is described as aged approximately 20 -25 years, slim build with dark hair and she had a little boy with her at the time. Neighbourhood Inspector Martin Brooks said: "We're asking for help from the public to identify this woman who befriended this elderly man and appears to have taken advantage of him. "We're also asking to speak to anyone who may have seen the mobility scooter being taken away and for anyone who may be offered it for sale to contact police. "It's very upsetting for this elderly gentlemen to have been taken advantage of in this way and it's a cruel crime to target someone who clearly depends on their mobility scooter to get around. "I want to appeal to the community to contact us if they know who is responsible for this crime so they can answer for this at court." Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting reference number 324 of 10/01/17 or ring the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.