Man charged after ‘shameful’ act on 86-year-old at RSL club

A man captured on CCTV committing a shameful act involving an 86-year-old with a walking frame at an RSL club has been charged.

A man has been charged after he allegedly pinched a wallet out of the back pocket of an elderly man at a Melbourne RSL club.

CCTV footage captured the shocking moment a young man sneakily snatched the wallet of an 86-year-old man, who was using a walking frame, while he was crossing the floor of a gaming room at the Glenroy RSL club on August 3 at 2.30pm.

The grandfather said he was unaware he had been targeted until he saw the CCTV footage.

“All I know is that I went to play the pokies and realised I didn’t have my wallet,” Mr Arthur told 9 News.

“I was dumbfounded.”

Mr Arthur said he couldn’t believe the incident had occurred where it had.

“People usually pickpocket people at the races or the football, but you wouldn’t think it (would happen) at a RSL,” he said.

“It was my cards, my pension card, my seniors card and all my personal cards. Thank god I didn’t have a credit card.”

Glenroy RSL President Ken White said the theft was “absolutely disgraceful”.

“It really hits me; we try and run a clean place for elderly people to enjoy themselves,” he said.

Douglas Arthur was pick-pocketed at Glenroy RSL earlier this month. Picture: Channel 10

“This is just disgraceful and we will support Doug and work something out.”

We try our best to look after the elderly and veterans.”

Detectives arrested the 25-year-old man this afternoon at a property in Pascoe Vale.

He has since been charged with theft, as well as the possession of a prohibited weapon and a drug of dependence.

Police confirmed that Mr Arthur’s personal documents and cards from the wallet were all returned.