A wheelchair-bound 61-year-old Nanaimo man was hospitalized after he was beaten and robbed.
Police said the incident happened late Dec. 2 when the man, who suffers from a spinal disease, wheeled himself outside the senior care facility where he lives in the 900 block of Hecate Street to have a cigarette.
He was about two blocks away when two men demanded money. When he refused, they pushed him out of his chair and started beating him.
The victim was kicked, punched and struck multiple times with a blunt object.
The beating only ended after the victim finally told them his wallet was in his jacket.
The assailants took the wallet, which contained an undisclosed amount of cash, and left.
The victim made his way back to his room, but after staff at the home saw the severity of his bruises and lacerations, it took two days to convince him to go to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
The victim told police his assailants were large First Nations men. One had long dark hair and the other wore a bandana around his neck.
Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman, said people who pick on others weaker than themselves often brag about it afterward.
“There’s a bit of a time delay on this, but nonetheless we’re going to persevere and we’re hoping when people read or hear about this they’re going to be as upset as we are and they’ll want to do something about it,” he said. “We’re hoping somebody will do the right thing and call us.”
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.nanaimocrimestoppers.com.
