Cruel thieves stole a wheelchair ramp from the doorstep of a five-year-old boy who needs it to get in and out of his own home.
The ramp was swiped in the early hours of Saturday morning from the home in Rosedale Gardens, Roseworth, County Durham, leaving mum Natalie Roberts frustrated and angry, Teeside Live reports.
But a twist in the tale on Monday, October 11, saw the ramp returned after a kind-hearted Samaritan spotted it for sale on social media, bought it for £40 - and gave it back to the Stockton-on-Tees family when she realised it had been stolen.
Police are continuing to investigate the crime which happened at 3.40am on Saturday, October 9.
Natalie 28, who is a full time mum of three and carer to Harley, five, says her son needs the ramp to get in and out of the house.
He has cerebral palsy and has difficulty walking and is still recovering from complex surgery carried out last May to help improve his mobility.
She was devastated to wake up on Saturday morning to find the metal ramp had vanished.
Without it, she has had to lift Harley and his walking frame over the doorstep each and every time they go in and out of the house.
"It's not that they have just taken a ramp away, they have taken his independence away," said Natalie.
"He's just a five-year-old child."
She reported the theft to Cleveland Police and put a social media post out appealing for information.
On Monday, she was contacted by a woman who bought the ramp for £40 from an advert placed on Facebook marketplace.
When she also spotted Natalie's post saying it had been stolen, she returned it to the family.
"It was really nice of them to buy it and return it and it is now back at the house," said Natalie.
"But they (the thieves) have still got what they wanted.
"It's appalling what they have done and I still hope the police can do something about it. These people should not be allowed to walk the streets."
Cleveland Police have confirmed they are investigating the theft.
"Police received a report of a stolen wheelchair ramp from outside a property on Rosedale Gardens, Stockton, which happened overnight on Friday October 8 into Saturday October 9," said a spokesman for the force.
"Officers have logged a crime report and enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with information can call police on 101, quoting reference 171251.".
