WATCH: A disabled Nanaimo man is making a heartfelt plea for the return of his stolen electric tricycle The theft has robbed him of his independence and as Skye Ryan reports, left him wide open to become a victim of another crime.
Aragorn Klockars’ heart sank when he walked out of his Nanaimo home Tuesday.
“I was just shocked,” said the Nanaimo resident.
His lifeline, his electric mobility tricycle had been stolen from outside his front door.
“It was everything,” said Aragorn Klockars.
“It was my independence it was how I get around,” he said.
The 52-year-old has partial paralysis on his right side, making walking difficult and he doesn’t drive, so without the tricycle that’s valued at $10,000 he is nearly immobile.
“I’m very slow in everything I do but this trike allows me to do everything,” said Klockars.
So after alerting RCMP, he put up out posters around central Nanaimo, pleading for the trike’s return. Sadly its made him prey to a new brand of thief: a scammer who told Klockars he had bought his tricycle for $400 but would sell it back to him for $20 now, if he’d wire him the money.
The money was sent before CHEK News or RCMP were aware and Klockars just kept waiting outside his home, for a tricycle that never came.
“It was probably a scam but it’s a chance I have to take,” said Klockars.
“I’m desperate to have my trike back.”
RCMP say they understand this urgent need but advise against private dealings that can victimize a person all over again.
“There’s no guarantee they’re going to get the item back,” said Const. Gary O’Brien of Nanaimo RCMP.
“Or you could be subjected to more crime when the person arrives,” said O’Brien.
“It was inhuman,” said Klockars.
“That was an inhuman thing to do,” he said.
Klockars is pleading for some kindness this Thanksgiving after being victimized twice already. All he wants is his electric trike back and his independence that was stolen along with it.
Anyone who knows where the electronic tricycle is can call Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345.
Skye Ryan
