'˜They stole my lifeline'

Heartless thieves stole pensioners' mobility scooters from their sheltered accommodation last week '“ despite their vehicles being useless without the keys to operate them.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Oct 2016, 17:34 BST
Updated 25th Oct 2016, 17:16 BST
Besta Humphrey in the scooter shed at Southernwood Close, Hemel Hempstead. Two scooters were stolen from there and the remaining one has been damaged.Besta Humphrey in the scooter shed at Southernwood Close, Hemel Hempstead. Two scooters were stolen from there and the remaining one has been damaged.
Besta Humphrey in the scooter shed at Southernwood Close, Hemel Hempstead. Two scooters were stolen from there and the remaining one has been damaged.

75-year-old Nesta Humphrey, who lives in Southernwood Close, Adeyfield, told how she was now unable to leave the complex after the theft from outside their homes last week.

One of her fellow residents, who asked not to be named, is also left unable to get out, and a third mobility scooter was also damaged as part of the incident.

Mrs Humphrey told the Gazette: “I am heartbroken.

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“Those scooters were our lifeline to the outside world. Two of us don’t even have insurance on our scooter so I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to replace them.

“At my age, and on a pension, it’s not like I can put my hand in a pocket to buy a new one.

“I just hope that they realised the scooter were no good to them because they didn’t have the key and someone will find where they left the scooters.”

Mrs Humphrey, who worked at Hemel Police Station in her younger years, has lived at Southernwood Close sheltered housing, based off Adeyfield Road, since 2010.

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She said: “It’s normally so safe here, but I do hope that the council will look at having more security around this area.

“And as for the people who stole them – I hope that they fall off and do themselves a nasty injury.”

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Police said: “Between 11am on Tuesday, October 4, and 11.50am on Thursday, October 6, offenders took two mobility scooters from a shed outside a sheltered housing complex in Southernwood Close, Hemel Hempstead.

“They did not cause any damage to the shed but made off in an unknown direction.”

> Anyone with information that could assist the police in their investigation should call Hertfordshire Constabulary’s non-emergency number 101 quoting crime reference D1/16/7163.