After hearing about a disabled man having his medical scooter stolen because of a mistake made by a local police officer, Langley Pos-Abilities has supplied him with one.
“The scooter is his mobility,” said Zosia Ettenberg, founder of Langley Pos-Abilities, a non-profit organization that helps those living with disabilities.
“The scooter we provided was in our inventory. It is nothing like the scooter he had but at least it is something he can use for now.”
Langley resident Phil Allison was arrested while going through the Willowbrook McDonald’s drive-thru on the Labour Day weekend.
Police confirm that they were called for a man who was intoxicated going through the drive-thru.
Allison was arrested and put in a police car and brought to the detachment to stay in jail to sober up overnight.
Allison said he did have a couple of beers, but it was likely the pain medication he was on that made him appear intoxicated.
Allison says he isn’t too bothered by the arrest, but it is the fact that after he was put in the police car, the officer left his scooter at the restaurant, and it has since been stolen.
“That scooter is my life,” said Allison, who suffers from nerve damage and can’t walk any distance without swelling up.
“I still think the police should buy this man a scooter considering they left it behind,” said Ettenberg.
Allison said he has a hard time expressing himself, so fighting for his rights would be difficult. But so far, he has asked police to resolve the stolen scooter issue, but has received no help from the Mounties.
While police acknowledge the arresting officer did leave the scooter behind, the Langley RCMP are not, so far, willing to take responsibility for the theft.
“His scooter has been entered into our files as a stolen item,” confirmed Langley RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Holly Marks at the time.
Ettenberg said a complaint to the Police Commissioner should be made.