AN elderly man who was robbed of £139 pension money as he waited for a bus after collecting it has been helped by neighbours - who have been bringing him food and groceries since the attack.
Phillip Hodge had just collected his pension and morning paper and was waiting for a bus on Devonport Road when he says the men struck.
The 89-year-old said that during the incident, which took place at 9am on November 30, one man reached into his pocket and grabbed his pension – worth about £139 – before running off with it.
Mr Hodge, who lives on his own in Stoke, said the incident left him shaken but that he refused to let it stop him from getting about as normal.
He said: "I felt helpless; you never expect it.
"I'm still out every day though – the only time it puts me off is if I'm waiting for a bus and someone comes alongside me because what happened automatically floods back into my mind."
In fact, the retired forklift driver saw his bad luck change just the day after the robbery when he stooped to tie his shoe lace while at the market and found a £20 note on the floor.
He was also left heartened by people in the community who began donating groceries to him after word of the robbery spread.
He said: "I had a bag full of stuff from the Co-op nearby and two from the post office where I get my pension."
His neighbour, 29-year-old Cheryl Holten, had even more good news for Mr Hodge after a woman named Charlene Freeman decided to set up a Go Fund Me page to raise money in his name.
Ms Freeman, aged 29, decided to set up the page after reading The Herald's report of the robbery on Facebook and corresponding with Ms Holten.
She ended up exceeding her target by raising £260 for Mr Hodge through online donations and the pair were later introduced by Ms Holten.
Ms Holten, who lives in the flat next to Mr Hodge, said: "He was absolutely over the moon.
"He was very upset after the robbery and I was surprised because he goes out every morning to buy his paper and the following morning he didn't let it stop him.
"His words were 'There's no point moping indoors, nothing is going to come of that'."
A number of witnesses came forward following the robbery and two men were later arrested in connection with the incident.
One was bailed until a later date, pending further inquiries, while Stevie Jordan, aged 33, of Albert Road, Plymouth, was charged with robbery.
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