Theft sours Mylor pensioners train trip
7:00am Thursday 25th October 2012 in News
By Greg Fountain, Reporter/Photographer
Among the items stolen was a felt teddy bear made for Toops by her daughter when she was a schoolgirl
SENTIMENTAL items, vital heart medicine and a year’s worth of research were among the items stolen when a Mylor couple’s bag was snatched during a train journey.
Bob and ‘Toops’ Bridges are both pensioners who have committed themselves to helping improve the lives of dementia sufferers and their carers.
They were travelling on the 14.41 train from Truro to Plymouth last Monday, bound for a dementia conference in Birmingham, when they noticed that their bag had disappeared from the luggage rack at the end of the carriage.
"We were only three rows down, but facing the other way," Bob said. "We were just sitting there reading, as you do, but when we got to Plymouth - the bag had gone."
In addition to Bob's medication for a heart condition and some of Toop's favourite outfits, the bag also contained "a year's worth of research and part of my presentation I was going to give at the conference," Bob said.
"Obviously that's of no value to anybody else."
Also amongst the stolen belongings was "Little Red Ted," a felt teddy bear made for Toops by her daughter back when she was a schoolgirl.
"I always take it with me wherever I go," she said, "It was made by my daughter when she was at Truro High School. We can't replace that."
After reporting the theft to the train manager and later, the police, the couple struggled onwards to Birmingham to make their conference.
Yet the theft had left them without many of their essentials and Bob was forced to try and stay "stress free" now he was missing his blood pressure tablets.
The theft has set the couple back at a time when they are trying to launch a new scheme for Falmouth - to make it a "dementia friendly community."
Bob and “Toops” are part of the leadership for Falmouth Memory Cafe, which was set up a couple of years ago to offer help and support for those affected by memory problems.
Now, they want to expand the town's support network for dementia sufferers by launching a "Dementia Action Alliance," which would encourage local businesses to be more aware of customers with memory problems and alter their business practices accordingly.
It has involved a lot of hard work and research - much of which was lost when their baggage was stolen on that fateful day last week.
British Transport Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage of the incident and the couple remain hopeful that some of their baggage, at least, might be returned to them.
Anyone with any infornation about the theft should call British Transport Police on Freefone 0800 405040.
To offer Bob and Toops help in setting up a Dementia Action Alliance for Falmouth contact them on 373830.
