Bags swiped during seizure

woman has been left devastated after her travel and shopping bags were stolen while she had an epileptic seizure.

Nicola Kennedy was waiting for a bus in Canterbury when she “zoned out” before coming back around and realising her possessions had been swiped. The thief ran off with an £80 Cath Kidston cabin bag containing an iPad and clothes.

The Iceland worker, who was diagnosed with epilepsy aged nine and also has learning difficulties, is desperate to get her iPad back.

The 32-year-old, who lives in Selsted between Canterbury and Dover, was about to head home from the city’s bus station at 11.30am on Monday, October 14. “I was queueing up and everything seemed normal,” she said. “But I have spontaneous seizures where I kind of zone out and glare into space.

“I had one while waiting to get on the bus and didn’t notice people were stealing from me. “I looked down and was searching in my handbag in a panic – that’s when I noticed I had been mugged. It makes me feel sick. They completely took advantage of my state.”

Police say they are investigating.

Miss Kennedy added: “I’m not bothered about the food - as far as I care, they can choke on it. “What hurts the most is my main priorities like my iPad and case have gone.

“My iPad is what I use most in day-to-day life by selling stuff, looking at the news and and my photos.

“I only earn a little bit of money working two days a week and I worked hard to earn enough to buy the case.

“To think some thug is using pliers to unlock it is very sad.” She says her epilepsy takes the form of “absence seizures” causing her to blank out rather than collapse to the ground. A crowdfunding page has been set up to help cover the cost for her stolen items.

More than £630 has been raised so far. To donate, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/nicola-canterbury

Anyone with information should call police on 01843 222289 quoting reference 46/197954/19.