Scooter owner traces tracks in frost to find stolen Vespa
A Vespa owner traced his own stolen scooter by following tyre tracks in the frost.
The trail took Steve Bendon to a nearby estate, where he spotted the culprit riding his treasured Vespa.
Police warned him not to try to apprehend the man – then called again the following day – to say the scooter had been damaged in a collision.
He was then given a £170 bill for releasing the damaged scooter from the recovery compound.
Mr Bendon’s Vespa – a 40th birthday present from his wife – was stolen from the garage at his home in Wellingborough, Northants.
When he called the police he was told he would have to wait for an officer to become available.
He set out himself, following the scooter’s tracks in the frost from his home to the town’s Hemmingwell estate, before they melted away.
That night he went back to the estate and saw the thief on his scooter.