Veteran, 87, dies days after mugger steals his pension
A war veteran died just two days after being mugged for his pension by a heartless woman pretending to help him cross the road.
Former sailor Joseph Louden, who was 5ft 2in tall and had cataracts, had just collected £160 from his Post Office when the woman offered to walk him to a taxi.
But instead she took the money out of the 87-year-old’s pocket, then told him it had fallen in the road. She handed him £20 before fleeing with the rest of the cash.
Yesterday his family told how the fiercely independent widower initially ‘brushed off’ the despicable crime, apparently fearing they would worry that he could no longer fend for himself.
But two days later, he collapsed close to the scene of the mugging and died from a suspected heart attack.
As police appealed for witnesses to trace the bogus Good Samaritan, his family said they feared the shock of being targeted may have contributed to his death.
‘ He wasn’t physically attacked, but it may be that the stress of having the money stolen led to a heart attack,’ stepdaughter Carole Beer, 70, said yesterday.
She added: ‘I just think it is disgraceful. You ask yourself “Who would pick on an old man?” and when you see the obvious – that it is precisely because he is vulnerable – you realise what type of people you are talking about.’
Mr Louden’s family fear he was targeted because of his regular routine, which began with breakfast at his favourite pub in Barnstaple, devon.
After finishing his meal at The Panniers Pub last Monday, he collected his pension from the Post Office and the woman offered to help him cross the road, only to sneak the cash out of his pocket.
Taking advantage of his poor eyesight, she told him it had fallen into the road before giving him just £20 and running off with the remaining £140.
Mr Louden returned to the bungalow where he lived alone, telling his family it was ‘just one of those things’.
But after going back to the pub for breakfast two days later he collapsed.
His eyesight was so poor the only detail he had been able to recall to police officers was that the mugger was possibly in her 20s and wore a white jumper.
A post-mortem examination will be carried out today.
Mr Louden’s family fear the woman may not be traced unless a witness comes forward. ‘He was so independent, he was just an old man who liked to do his own thing,’ Mrs Beer said.
‘He fought for his country, he worked hard, he should be able to go into town and get his breakfast. It is not about the money.
‘It was very busy at the time – people might have thought she was just helping him across the road.
‘But I hope that if someone saw anything, they could help give a better description of the woman.’
Scottish-born Mr Louden did not have any children by his first wife, who died 25 years ago.
His second wife, Winnie, died five years ago, and her two daughters say he never spoke about his naval service or his life after the war.
‘He didn’t marry my mother until he was in his 80s and it was just really nice to see two old people extremely happy together,’ Mrs Beer said.
Police have appealed for witnesses and are checking CCTV footage.
‘Who would pick on an old man?’