NormanH Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 I was having lunch today, and left my scooter on the pavement outside as usual.When I came out it had gone....I had only one stick and light shoes as opposed to the boots and two sticks I need to hobble any sort of distance (2/300 metres for example)I was given lots of help by other customers one of whom drove me to the Commissariat where I 'porté plainte' and of course I put messages out on the 'social media' (UGH) Just a few minutes a ago I had a call to say it had been found, which I reckon is pretty good work.The only problem is that there are almost no others like it round here and to start it the thieves pulled out wires and twisted them together. It will be much harder thab it would be in the UK to find someone who is used to these machines I hope I can find some one to mend it but at the moment it is immobilsed at the Commissariat.Of course the sort of running around I need to do I would normally do ON the scooter, so I will have to over come my telephone phobia and pull my finger out [:D]Rather a lousy thing to do though, steal a disabled scooter.[URL=http://s253.photobucket.com/user/bfb_album/media/DSC04396_zps328637c4.jpg.html][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/bfb_album/DSC04396_zps328637c4.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 What a mean thing to do! Hope you can get it fixed soon Norman.I didn't realise you had to use one of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted September 5, 2014 Author Share Posted September 5, 2014 It was good old cooperlola who persuaded me and gave an excellent contact in the UK to buy a second hand one.Bless her memory [kiss] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Oh b@m!So annoying and inconvenient! Do you have insurance on it and can it be fixed?Who'd want to do a thing like that? It's not as though they could ride it all the way to Calais, is it?I'm not really making a joke, poor Norman. I hope you get it working again soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 So sorry to hear about that Norman - nothing is sacred nowadays apparently. Good luck with the telephone finger and getting your repairs done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 That is bad luck, Norman.Could you wind the ignition wires together as the thieves did to get it running, at least? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted September 5, 2014 Author Share Posted September 5, 2014 Yes it is insured fortunatly and in fact anything that can be 'driven' on the voie publique has to be.I took out a specific insurance in addition to my house one in case I run over someone's foot or collide with something...I hear WB singing 'roll out the barrel' [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 That's lower than low. Glad you got it back, and hope it's quickly fixable. Never heard of anyone hot-wiring a mobility scooter before. Wonder what they might have been hoping to use it for? Strikes me it's fairly useless as a getaway vehicle or for a ram-raid.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 That's dreadful, I hope you get lots of help to sort this out...I'm so sorry.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted September 5, 2014 Author Share Posted September 5, 2014 [quote user="You can call me Betty"]That's lower than low. Glad you got it back, and hope it's quickly fixable. Never heard of anyone hot-wiring a mobility scooter before. Wonder what they might have been hoping to use it for? Strikes me it's fairly useless as a getaway vehicle or for a ram-raid....[/quote]A wag on my Facebook said that for once the police car might be faster than the vehicle it was chasing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clark Kent II Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 I cannot think of a more despicable act. I think that you are showing great fortitude and courage - even by sharing your experience on this forum. I hope that you can be mobile again very quickly.What on earth was the motivation? It couldn't have been to sell it. Drunken prank? I hope that you weren't deliberately targeted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 [quote user="NormanH"][quote user="You can call me Betty"]That's lower than low. Glad you got it back, and hope it's quickly fixable. Never heard of anyone hot-wiring a mobility scooter before. Wonder what they might have been hoping to use it for? Strikes me it's fairly useless as a getaway vehicle or for a ram-raid....[/quote]A wag on my Facebook said that for once the police car might be faster than the vehicle it was chasing...[/quote]...or perhaps you just have very sedate joy-riders in your part of France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 I am glad that you got it back. I hope that the gendarmes let you collect it ASAP to have it mended. I daresay you will have to lock it up in future when you go anywhere. Pity the salauds who stole it, even if caught will not be adequately punished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thibault Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 It's good for anyone wanting to collect donations....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 It may have been stolen with a view to nicking the battery out of it. A good working battery is worth a fair bit of money to someone who needs a replacement, or a junkie will be able to cash in a battery at a scrap dealer for 20 euros or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share Posted September 6, 2014 You may be right.... over here a single battery costs 160€ and when I went to replace it last year I got the bad news that I needed two....[:-))]I haven't yet been to collect it (the officer who phoned suggested I left them in peace over the weekend [:)] ) so I will see the full damage next weekThanks for all the good wishes. It has been heartwarming to see the reactions from people here and my French acquaintances... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 How dare they, should have been all done and literally 'dusted' as soon as they got it. Peace over the weekend, mon clu, lazy as per usual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Really sorry to hear that Norman, its the sort of thing that goes on around here, anyone with a disability of any sort or any difference be it skin colour or otherwise is seen to be deserved of abuse.I would happily get it going again for you and to introduce some other passive security measures but there is a lot of distance between us, but you never know some other kind soul may be making a return journey to probably the UK that has some space.Bear it in mind and I hope that a drama does not become a crisis and drag on indetermitaley because of the love of paperasse and procédures, they must be reminded that there is a very human victim behind this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nectarine Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 what a lowlife to steal it! Good luck with getting it sorted out and back on the road (!) or pavement soon ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommier Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 So sorry to read this. I hope you aren't trapped indoors tomorrow, but have someone who can take you out and about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Someone has offered to take him out in a supermarket trolley!Norman, if the batteries are still there and all else is well, then the best people to show you how to hotwire the thing might well be the gendarmes. I am sure they are experts at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share Posted September 6, 2014 I've got a rollator but it lacks street cred.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Well, apart from the lack of headlight, indicators, alloys, a GTi badge and a seat ............. Looks alright to me.What are you moaning about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 Can't believe anyone would do that, Norman. How despicable. I hope you get back on wheels very soon. Does your insurance cover you for a replacement vehicle?Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 Really sorry to hear of your problems Norman. I think the others have used all of the polite and acceptable descriptions of the perpetrators that I can think of - though I have a few that could get me banned for (mis)use of language.I hope you get sorted quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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