A courageous pensioner who was left battered and bruised by cruel thieves has thanked the police for making her feel safe in her own home.
Ida Brown has today (Thursday) revealed she has been inundated with gifts, hot meals and messages of support after she was badly injured trying to stop two men from stealing her mobility scooter.
Last week, Northumbria Police posted images of horrific bruising to her face and knee that she had sustained while foiling a robbery outside her home in Dunston.
Officers revealed how two men had tried to steal her mobility scooter from Ross Avenue just after 5.30am before the 79-year-old disturbed them.
They pushed her into a wall and left her in a crumpled heap on the floor before fleeing the scene and warning her they would be coming back.
Ida, who is currently battling leukemia, did not sustain any long-term injuries but the attack left her too scared to leave her own home.
Detectives launched a public appeal for information and today the pensioner has revealed she has been inundated with messages of support.
She has had security lights and a new CCTV system installed, is having daily hot meals delivered free of charge and will receive more than £5,000 through a Go Fund Me page set up by the community.
Local volunteer group Dunston Help For Families has also arranged for a shed to be built outside her home that can house her mobility scooter and deter thieves.
Ida, who lives with her cats Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, says the support from police and her local community has once again made her feel safe in her own home.
“Everyone has been so good, I’ve had people knocking on my door every day to ask if I’m okay and people have been bringing me food and flowers,” she said.
“I have had old colleagues I haven’t seen in years sending me flowers, people have been doing my shopping and bringing me food.
“I’m not used to being on TV or on the front page of the papers. I didn’t look very beautiful but I hope it has made a difference and people think twice about attacking someone else like.
“I just wanted to make sure it didn’t happen to anyone else and people seem to think that the people who did this to me wouldn’t try it again because of all the backlash.
“The police have been very supportive, they took me up to the hospital the day it happened and waited with me for six hours and then took me home.
“It was the first ride in a police car I had ever had. The officers have been so good, they have made me feel safer for what they have done.”
Northumbria Police continue to investigate the attempted robbery and are still asking members of the community to provide names of those responsible for the cowardly attack.
Neighbourhood Inspector Alan Davison has spoken to Ida and says he is not surprised at the generosity shown by the Dunston community.
He said: “I am committed to trying to identify those responsible for this attack but Ida is in good spirits and feels safe again which is the most important thing for me.
“The support she has received from the community in Dunston does not surprise me. I have policed this area for some time and know how generous and kind the residents are.
”In particular, I want to thank Mark and Malcolm at Dunston Help for Families who have organised support for Ida, and Tonisha who set up the Go Fund Me page.
“However, we know there will be people in the community who know who is responsible for this attack and we want you to do the right thing, and give us their names.”
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “This was such awful brutality to a helpless lady.
“I’m pleased to hear about all the kind, wonderful things that have been happening to reassure her that despite the evil exceptions out there, there are so many good people in our local communities.
“The sooner those responsible are caught the better, and I know Northumbria Police is working tirelessly to achieve this.
“They need the public’s help with information to catch them though. Surely every single person wants these two to feel the full force of law for this. This is not something we will tolerate in our region.”
Anyone with information that may help police identify those responsible for the attack on February 28 is asked to call 101 quoting log 504 28/02/21.
You can also report online at the Northumbria Police website or contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Content Courtesy of Northumbria Police.
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