GRAND CONCOURSE, The Bronx (WABC) — A Bronx man who relies on a specialized motorized wheelchair says he has been left stranded and in pain after a thief rode off with the $5,000 device outside his Grand Concourse building two weeks ago.
“Devastated that somebody could stoop that low,” said 59-year-old Steven.
Steven needs a hip replacement and wears a colostomy bag because of a rupture in his intestines.
His stolen wheelchair extends upright, a feature he says is essential for his comfort. Without it, even basic tasks have become overwhelming.
“It’s been really hard,” he said, choking up. “I can’t get out to get air like I used to. I used to go to the park. I can’t go to the store. It’s too far for me to walk. I have appointments. I need to pick up prescriptions that are not close by. and I have to walk to the bus.”
Navigating his building has also become a daily challenge. One elevator is blocked by stairs, and the only accessible elevator does not reach his floor.
To get home, he must ride it to the basement and transfer to another elevator, a route that becomes impossible after 8 p.m., when the basement level is no longer accessible.
On late nights, he must leave any mobility device in the lobby and climb upstairs with a cane.
Police are searching for the suspect seen on security video riding away in the wheelchair.
Steven, who lives on Social Security, said replacing it is not financially possible.
“Think about if it was your brother, your sister, your mother or your father and how would they feel if their lifeline was taken from them,” he said. “Think twice before you do something like that.”
The investigation is ongoing.
———-
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
* Download our connected TV app
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
Copyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.