Mobility scooter: Disabled thief apologises, claims he bought aid online

A cancer-stricken man accused of stealing a scooter from a disability pensioner earlier this month says he didn’t do it and has a unique alibi.

A disabled thief accused of stealing a pensioner’s mobility scooter has apologised, saying he needed it because of terminal cancer that has ravaged his spine.

Jason Pye maintains he did not steal Laurence Adams’ red scooter but bought it online from a “low life” and had collected it from near the pensioner’s home in Ultimo when he was captured on CCTV riding off with it.

Alleged scooter thief Jason Pye, accused of stealing a mobility scooter from pensioner Laurie Adams earlier this month. Picture: Facebook

Laurie Adams, 82, has been reunited with his stolen scooter with the assistance of police. Picture: Dylan Robinson

“I have cancer and I was diagnosed just over a year ago, but my cancer is terminal and it’s destroyed my spine and I’ve had surgery twice to replace my complete spine with a carbon fibre spine, I can’t even stand up straight, let alone walk with a walker,” Pye, 50, told the

Daily Telegraph.

“And I could say anything and think that you would believe me but please if there is one person in this world that has had to deal with questions over my life, my age, ‘why me’ and ‘why now’ regarding my cancer, and having empathy for the sick and the elderly, it’s me.

“Everyday I have to deal with it and try to be a better person because when everyday you have to deal with whether God takes me.

Police retreive the stolen scooter in Ultimo. Picture: Mitchell Van Homrigh

“I would never want to upset an elderly man of 83 let alone steal his only way of transport, and I don’t know the man but even if he was a nasty crabby old man, I am a lot of things and have done both bad and good to other people but I’d never steal an old man’s scooter, that’s

putrid! That’s disgusting.

“If I had done it, I would expect and deserve a flogging of my life.

“I’m on bail and have conditions that prevent me from getting to the low life that sold me that scooter.

CCTV vision released by police shows a man riding away on a mobility scooter on November 8. Picture: NSW Police

“I paid a lot of money for it. It would have helped me and my quality of life so much. I’m truly sorry the old man even went without it for one minute.”

Mr Adams was reunited with the scooter after police found it at a housing commission unit in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on November 8.

Unemployed Pye has been charged with stealing the vehicle and the court earlier this month heard he has a long criminal history.

Pye, who uses a walking stick, was captured on camera riding the scooter around Ultimo.

Police giving the scooter back to Mr Adams. Picture: Mitchell Van Homrigh

“I am on camera riding down the street on the poor man’s scooter, I do not deny riding it, riding off on it, I took it to my home,” he said

“I bought it off a lowlife online and went to collect it near the old man’s house, I’m currently on bail but if I could break my bail conditions to go and give this scumbag piece of my mind I would,” Pye sad.

“I truly care about the old man and I’m sorry, not for stealing it but for depriving him of it,” Pye added.