Foster carer’s incredible reaction after £3,000 savings for sick grandson stolen

A foster carer had £3,000 earmarked to help her sick grandson stolen from her shopping trolley.

Maria Adlington, 59, said she was ‘heartbroken’ to discover thieves had run off with the cash while she browsed the stalls at Hanley Market in Stoke-on-Trent last month.

She had not long withdrawn the money to pay for a foldable wheelchair for her grandson to use on holiday abroad.

But rather than ‘be bitter’ about the heartless trio, the gran said she hopes they at least put it to good use to buy something they or their children really needed.

Maria said: ‘I withdrew £3,000 from Lloyds Bank and put the money at the bottom of the shopping trolley which had no shopping in it.

‘I went to the market, bought bananas and carrots, turned around, and my trolley was gone. Two guys were stood behind me so I couldn’t see and another man grabbed the trolley and ran off.

‘CCTV showed them walking into the market after me, but I’m not sure where they walked from.

‘A man who has a shop at the top of the market saw some men give the empty shopping trolley to security. I went to Lloyds Bank and told them what had happened but they can’t do anything.’

She went on: ‘I’m a foster carer, I’ve saved and saved and saved, even using my Christmas money. I was heartbroken, I haven’t slept. I just don’t want it to happen to anyone else.

‘I’d love to get my money back, but I feel like it’s gone.

‘Heart of hearts, I’m a genuine person. I buy homeless people food and clothes – that’s my nature, so I can’t be bitter. I’m hoping they’ve bought a buggy for their kids, I’m hoping they’ve bought trainers or they’ve bought a tracksuit because they needed it.

‘We’re just an average Joe couple, we don’t look like we’ve got money, we don’t go out in designer clothes or gold earrings.’

A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: ‘We have received a report of a theft in Upper Market Square, Hanley.

‘A woman withdrew a large quantity of cash from a bank. The money was left in the woman’s shopping trolley while she paid for some goods.

‘We believe three men took the trolley while it was briefly left unattended and took the cash.’

Inspector Victoria Ison added: ‘We don’t underestimate the impact that theft can have on victims and we’re committed to putting a stop to those responsible.

‘We understand that victims want swift and decisive action when thefts happen. We take every single report of theft extremely seriously and are committed to carrying out thorough investigations to identify suspects and support victims.’

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