By Kirsty Topping
A DISABLED man was mugged by a
“good Samaritan’ after falling over.
Nicholas Rooney, 60, was stunned to find his wallet was missing after taking the tumble in Leith, Edinburgh.
It was stolen by a callous passer-by who helped Mr Rooney to his feet and even wished him
“Happy Easter’ before running away.
The former oil-worker was left severely disabled after a car crash in 1988 and struggles to walk.
He said:
“I can’t walk very well after the accident and I was quite out of breath and hobbling along after him shouting ‘stop thief’, but I’d never have caught him.”
Mr Rooney was aided by the manageress at the local British Heart Foundation who not only helped him call the police but followed the man to a nearby graveyard.
She confronted him but he denied stealing Mr Rooney’s wallet and ran off again.
“I told the police that my wallet contained a small amount of money, probably about 15, but the major headache would be replacing the debit card, credit card, travel pass. The most severe loss was a ticket to see Glasvegas that night,” continued Mr Rooney.
No one has yet been arrested in connection with the incident but Mr Rooney’s wallet was returned to him later that evening.
He said: ” It was missing the money that was there, but it wasn’t much anyway, and I was just delighted to get the tickets for the concert back, as it meant I was still able to go.”
A police spokeswoman said: ” An investigation is underway to trace a man who stole cash from a man’s wallet in the Kirkgate shopping centre, Leith, on Sunday April 24.
“Police are following a positive line of inquiry.”
