Why I’ll not let these people beat me
BLIND MAN TARGETED BY THIEF WHEN HE WENT TO SUPERMARKET FOR MILK
TARGETED as he dropped one of his white walking sticks, blind George Bloomer is refusing to let a thief’s actions force him into hiding.
The Wardley dad-of-four was walking to pick up milk and sugar to make a cup of tea before his doctor’s appointment when he dropped one of his sticks.
A cowardly thief spotted an opportunity and snatched cash out of vulnerable George’s hands, brazenly making off with almost £200 in the broad daylight theft.
Now, the 49-year-old victim – who insists he will carry on as normal in spite of the shocking incident – has bravely spoken out in an attempt to bring the culprit to justice.
George said: “I didn’t sleep properly for the first couple of days after but I’m starting to feel a bit better now, I’m getting back into my normal routine.
“I’ve got a lot of friends around here and they were all shocked when I told them what happened.
“There’s no chance of me letting this affect us. I’ll still go out and about – I’m not letting this get me down.”
George visited his local post office in Wardley, Gateshead, on the morning of March 12 to withdraw his fortnightly allowance of £182.50.
The 49-year-old, who is registered blind and wears two hearing aids following a sledgehammer attack almost 15 years ago, then decided to make the trip to a supermarket in Pelaw.
He said: “I was on my way to get a carton of milk and a bag of sugar to have a cuppa before going to the doctor’s.
“It’s not very often I make that journey, I’d usually take the bus. But I decided to walk down because it was not that bad a day.
“I wish I had just got the bus but it’s too late now.”
George was walking along Kirkwood Gardens between 10am and 10.30am when he decided to move his cash into a plastic money bag, and accidentally dropped one of his two white sticks.
Within seconds, the thief struck and quickly fled the scene.
George said: “Before I started putting money in the bag, I had a check and there was nobody around at all. That’s why I started putting the cash in.
“I think it was a lad in a black hoody. My vision is always blurred, when it’s in close proximity it’s not too bad. As soon as something gets four or five feet away, it’s bad after that.
“They literally just grabbed it out of my hand, they never really touched me.
“I just shouted out once or twice but there was nobody else at all nearby.
“I went to the doctors first as I needed some painkillers before going to the police station.”
Northumbria Police is investigating the theft and the force is treating the incident as a disability hate crime.
George added: “I don’t think anyone followed me and planned to take the money.
“It was a random act by someone who saw the money in my hand and the walking sticks.”
Inquiries to trace the offender are ongoing, and anyone with information on the person responsible or witnessed the theft are urged to call police on 101, quoting log 408 12/03/18.