Portsmouth family appeal for help after thieves steal bike and damage mobility scooter
and live on Freeview channel 276
Leslie Browne, 55, was with his son Phillip, 27, in the Derby Tavern pub on Stamshaw Road, when he came outside to find his mobility scooter ‘had been tampered with’ and Phillip’s new £300 Carrera bike had been stolen.
Leslie said: ‘I feel so disgusted someone would come and do this. Phillip had just managed to get back into work and he had bought the bike to be able to travel there and back.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad‘I don’t know how someone could do this and I’m not sure how he is now going to be able to travel to and from work.’
The bike had been tied to a lamppost with a cycle lock along with Leslie’s mobility scooter.
‘We came out to find the lock had been cut and my mobility scooter had been tampered with. All the buttons had been switched on and the handles turned as if they had been trying to start it. The brakes no longer work and I have had to get the engineer out to fix them,’ he added.
As someone who suffers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Leslie was also concerned about the risk of contracting coronavirus.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad
‘When I got home I had to wipe everything down as with my condition I’m very concerned about the virus,’ said Leslie.
The family, who live in Somers Town, are hopeful the offenders may have been caught on the CCTV cameras which operate outside the pub.
The police are also appealing for information to track down those responsible and to locate the whereabouts of the bike.
A statement from Hampshire Constabulary said: ‘We received an online report that between 7.30pm and 9.30pm on Tuesday, September 1 a pedal cycle was stolen from outside a pub on Stamshaw Road, Portsmouth.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad‘The bike had been locked to a lamppost. Anyone with information should phone 101 and quote the reference 44200337431.’