RAF veteran stranded as heartless thieves steal mobility scooter

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Iain Anderson, who served in the military for 15 years, had been gifted the scooter by the Royal Air Force Association four months ago, allowing him to go to the shops on his own. However, the 55-year-old man was devastated to discover the gold Kymco scooter had been taken outside his flat in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, on January 11.

I use it everyday. I can only walk about 15 yards before it becomes too painful

Iain Anderson

Iain has a condition called intermittent claudication where the arteries in his legs get blocked and it causes restricted blood flow and pain when he walks.

Speaking to Stoke-on-Trent Live, he said:”When I got down the stairs to take my dog out at 10.30pm, it wasn’t there. I felt sick, I was in disbelief.

“I can’t keep it in my flat and I wasn’t allowed to keep it under the stairwell so I had to keep it outside the main door. It’s been there for months. You just don’t think somebody would steal something like that.

“I’ve still got the keys and the charger so it’s completely useless to anybody else. They won’t be able to sell it on.

“I just want it back no questions asked. It means a lot to me and it’s totally ruined my ability to do anything.

“I use it everyday. I can only walk about 15 yards before it becomes too painful.”

Iain, who is a veteran of Northern Ireland and the First Gulf War and has been awarded three medals during armed forces career, says the theft feels like a “smash in the teeth”.

He added: “I have got PTSD because of the things I did and saw in Northern Ireland and Iraq, it wasn’t good.

“I’ve been a member of the RAF association for 20 years and have been helping them raise money. Some of the members there got me this scooter so it’s even more devastating because people had gone out of their way for me.

“If I do go out on foot, by the time I get back I’m in tears. It takes a good 40 minutes for the pain to wear off. I’m nearly passing out if I have to walk anywhere.

“Now I’m stuck and can’t go anywhere.. Thankfully my son comes around and helps but it’s not fair on him.

“I feel like I’ve lost my independence. I don’t see anyone apart from my son who comes to me. I’ve lost my entire social life.

“I spent 15 years in the RAF and have three medals, and then this happens. I fought for this country so people like that can go about their business.

“People who have got the morals to steal what they know people rely on is quite unbelievable.”

Staffordshire Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

A spokesman said: “At 2.25am on Tuesday (January 11) a gold Kymco mobility scooter was reported as stolen from a porch at an address on Dove Place, in Newcastle-under-Lyme.”

Anyone with information can contact police by calling 101, or reporting online, quoting incident number 39 of January 11.

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