A North Vancouver senior is hoping whoever stole her mobility scooter on Monday night needs it more than she does.
Pat Winship, 65, came out to her East 21st Street front deck Tuesday morning to find the scooter and its charger had both disappeared in the night.
The thief didn't just steal an expensive piece of equipment so much as he made off with Winships's ability to do things on her own, she said.
"I lost my husband unexpectedly on Christmas Eve. I've had to do everything on my own now. I understand that and I have lots of wonderful friends, but I like to be as independent as I can," she said, becoming emotional. "I like getting out. I like being able to do it myself and this is the only outside one I've got."
Winship uses the scooter to make quick trips to the store, to get
to her exercises classes at the Karen Magnussen Community Recreation Centre and, most importantly, to walk her French poodle Brigette.
Winship contacted North Vancouver RCMP to report the theft but she was told there would be little investigators could do without having any witnesses.
Winship's friends have volunteered to take Brigette for walks and she can get her groceries delivered or drive her car, but the real loss is to her badly needed independence, she said.
In order to keep her sanity, Winship said she has to tell herself the scooter wound up with someone who needs it more than her.
"Maybe some idiot kids have a really disabled grandfather and they thought they could do this for him," she said. "I just don't want to think some drug-addled idiot took this just to make a quick $500 and didn't think of the consequences."
She's now asking her North Shore neighbours to be on the lookout for a three-wheeled, candy apple red Pride Celebrity mobility scooter.
RCMP have the scooter's serial number on file and officers will be looking for it when they make the rounds of local pawn shops and online classified sites, according to Cpl. Richard de Jong, RC MP spokesman.
"Any tip we can follow up, we certainly will," he said.
"There is a plea to the public, out of good conscience, there's someone who probably needs it most desperately to get out and about in the community.
"Return it to the rightful owner," De Jong added.
