Bexhill woman left housebound after mobility scooter vandalised

Marge Kaill, 79, of De La Warr Parade, suffers from chronic arthritis in her hips and knees and severe scoliosis.

Her husband, Alan, said the would-be thief struck during the night of October 15.

He said the electrics were ‘ripped out’ as if the vandal was attempting to ‘hot-wire’ the scooter like a car, rendering the scooter unusable.

Alan said: “This has deprived my near 80-year-old disabled wife with severe scoliosis and chronic arthritisthe pleasure of being able to ride to the town for a little shopping and browsing, of now being unable to go with family for ride/walks along the promenade, enjoying the fresh air that exudes around the seafront, and now being unable to meet a couple of equally disabled friends at a local cafe.

“My wife is in constant pain and the mobility scooter gives her back some independence, which is now gone. When I reported the incident to the police by filling in a five-page report, one of the questions was: ‘Do you think this was a hate crime etc? I replied with yes. This is because whoever did this must hate the disabled to have performed this evil act.”

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “A mobility scooter was damaged in what is believed to be an attempted theft in Bexhill.

“The scooter was parked in a dedicated bay at a retirement community in De La Warr Parade when it was discovered to have been tampered with on Friday, October 16.

“It appears that an attempt was made to steal the machine, causing damage to wiring and rendering it unusable.

“Anyone with information about the incident is asked to report online or call 101 quoting 47200178822.”

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