Thieves steal disabled man’s mobility scooter

May 28 2009 by Shirley Bartynek, Hamilton Advertiser

Thieves steal disabled man’s mobility scooter

POLICE were this week appealing for witnesses after cruel thieves stole a Hamilton pensioner’s mobility scooter.

Willie Wilson, of Houston Street, was using his £600 scooter on Sunday when it broke down.

The 77-year-old was heading to the Auld Hoose, in Low Waters Road, when the scooter stopped working.

He moved the scooter off the road and left it parked in Field Street before having to call a taxi to take him to the pub.

Willie decided to leave his scooter in Field Street until he was able to contact a family member to have it uplifted in the morning.

However, when he returned the following day it was gone.

Willie’s son Billy, who lives in Silvertonhill, this week told the Advertiser that his father depends on the scooter to get around.

He said: “My dad has a prosthetic knee and he bought the scooter to help him get around locally. It is only one-year-old and it has been a great help to him.

“He has had a few problems with the scooter and this is the third time it has stopped working. Field Street is not a road that you can drive through so someone hopefully might have seen something.

“The scooter had obviously broken down so it would have taken at least two people to carry it away, or lift it into a car.”

Willie this week hit out at the thieves, he said: “I don’t know who could do such a thing as take a disabled man’s scooter. How low can someone stoop.”

Police this week confirmed that the scooter had been stolen.

A spokesman for Hamilton police said: “We would urge anyone who has any further information on this incident to get in touch.

“The incident took place between Sunday, May 24, at 6.30pm and 9am the following day.”