Disabled woman stranded by thief

A DISABLED woman from Lympstone was left stranded after heartless thieves made off with a battery from her mobility scooter.

A DISABLED woman from Lympstone was left stranded after heartless thieves made off with a battery from her mobility scooter.

The 27-year-old, who refused to give her name or address in fear of having something else stolen, had parked her scooter underneath the railway bridge in the village last Wednesday, August 19, writes Graham Britton.

She went for a short walk along the footpath adjacent to the estuary between 8pm and 8.15pm. When she arrived back to the scooter, she noticed the battery had gone - leaving her temporarily stranded and unable to get home.

A man, who lives in a nearby property, noticed the woman in distress, went to her rescue and drove her and the scooter back home.

Recalling the moment she noticed the battery had disappeared, she said: "It left me stranded - there is no mobile reception down near that part of the village either so I couldn't call home.

"It's a nasty kind of crime to do - to steal something off someone who is disabled. You wouldn't wish this kind of thing on anyone.

"I can't imagine a scooter battery will be useful to many people.

"If I hadn't managed to get out of that situation (with the nearby resident helping me out), I don't know what I would have done."

The woman said, if it was not for the person who lived nearby taking the scooter to her home, she feared the culprit would have returned to steal the entire mobility vehicle.

"I am very grateful for his help."

PCSO Sarah Trayhurn said it was a distressing incident for the Lympstone woman. She added: "I am keen to hear from anyone who saw anything."

Anybody with information should contact police on 08452 777444, quoting crime reference number KE/09/2472.