A Dundee family say they are “disgusted” after a pensioner’s wallet was stolen on a bus just minutes after he had withdrawn his pension.
Tom King, 89, was a passenger on the 22 service when his wallet was swiped in the Hilltown on Monday afternoon.
The retired bus conductor only became aware it was missing after going to use his money in the pub later that day.
He had only withdrawn his pension minutes before the theft.
The wallet contained £175 in cash, a picture of his late wife, Mary, bank cards and bookmaker slips.
Tom said: “I’d just picked up my pension at the bank and had boarded the bus at Commercial Street just after 2pm.
‘The woman kept looking at me, it was making me feel uneasy’
“This woman got on the next stop at Victoria Road and sat beside me on the ground floor of the double-decker.
“I had my bag and walking stick beside me and she had a brown bag on her lap.
“She then placed the bag on my lap and I was trying to move it.”
Tom reckons this ploy gave the woman an opportunity to take his wallet from his bag.
He said: “The woman kept looking at me, it was making me feel uneasy.
“She was thin-faced with thick-rimmed glasses.
Pensioner’s wallet found discarded after Dundee bus theft
“I think she was with another man but I couldn’t say for certain if he was involved.
“She got off near Kinloch Street and I got off at Rough and Fraser a short while later.
“It was after 6pm when I went to use my wallet I found it was gone.”
The father-of-four’s wallet was found by family members the following day near a bus stop on Rosebank Street.
Although the cards and the picture were still inside, the cash was gone.
Tom’s daughter June King said: “Dad goes to the karaoke at the Bowbridge Bar every Monday.
“He always keeps £10 in his pocket so that covers his cups of tea in there. He didn’t go to use his wallet until about 6pm.
“Initially we thought it had been misplaced in the pub but dad told us what happened on the bus and then we discovered the wallet.
“We’re disgusted that someone has done this. Dad is scared to go back on the bus, it’s such a shame.
“We reported it to Bell Street (police office) on Tuesday afternoon.
“We’ve kept the wallet in a plastic bag to see if the police can get any fingerprints from it.
“Xplore are also looking to see if they’ve got CCTV of dad on the bus.
“Dad had a £50 note and we think this would have stood out if the woman had tried to spend it.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “On Tuesday, we received a report that an 89-year-old man had been robbed of his wallet between 2.25pm and 2.45pm the previous day, while on a bus near Kinloch Street, Dundee.
“Inquiries are continuing and anyone with information that can assist is asked to contact 101 quoting reference number 2017 of June 11.”
An Xplore spokeswoman said: “We are very sorry to hear about what has happened to this gentleman, the loss and worry he has suffered and we offer him our sympathy.
“It is exceptionally rare for there to be an incident of this kind and we would like to reassure passengers that our buses are completely safe.
“We have not been asked to provide any CCTV footage from the service but we would certainly do so if we receive a request from Police Scotland and we will cooperate in any way to help their investigation.”
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