Uninsured disabled driver stranded by ‘helpers’

Kevin Parkin, who suffers from arthritis and acromegaly, was on his way to hospital with a suspected broken arm when he fell victim to the men he thought had stopped to help him.

The theft, which happened in Wakefield, has left him house-bound as his wheelchair was not covered by insurance.

Mr Parkin, 44, was being driven to hospital in the specially-adapted Volkswagen Caravelle van by his brother Shaun, following a fall earlier in the day, when he was thrown to the floor of the vehicle.

As Shaun and his nine-year-old son Joshua rushed to aid him, another van pulled up and two men offered to help.

Mr Parkin, of Wakefield, had been sat in the back of the van but had been unable to put his seat belt on because of the pain in his arm. His wheelchair had also been put in the van.

He said: “About five minutes from home a car pulled out in front of us and I was thrown to the floor, Shaun stopped and thought it would be best to get me out.

“He got out and opened the door and started to pull me out when a grey van turned up and two guys got out. They were saying ‘get him out, get him out’ and pulling me out but as soon as I had hit the floor one of them jumped in and sped off.

“Shaun had followed me out of the van and he had told his son Joshua to get out when we first stopped. The men seemed really friendly and helpful. I don’t think anyone knew what was going on, we thought they were Good Samaritans who had stopped.

“It was a low trick, when they saw the wheelchair I think they would have cottoned on that I was disabled.”

Mr Parkin, who is 7ft 2in tall, was left lying on the ground, clutching his arm following the theft on Watson Crescent.

He said that he has been confined to his bed since the theft because his wheelchair, worth about £500 to £600, was not covered by his insurance.

“I can’t get around so I am just on my bed all day. I am searching for another second hand wheelchair,” he added.

“I thought they were coming to help us,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it when I realised one of them was driving off with the van.”