A VULNERABLE man was left distraught after his £350 bike was stolen right out of his hands.

Sara Wheeler is the owner of SW Bed and Breakfast in Malvern Road and through lockdown has been looking after the 43-year-old, who has mental health issues and autism.

She also helped him to buy his dark green Carrera Vengeance from Halfords just two months ago.

But as he sat outside St Barnabas Parish Church in Gorse Hill someone approached and took it from him.

“Swindon Borough Council booked him in to stay at the bed and breakfast in January as he waits for some mental health accommodation to receive the help he needs,” Sara said.

“I’ve cared for him over the last nine months and he’s become part of the family. We bought the bike in July and he loves it. On the day it was stolen he had a bad mental health episode and he took it with him to the church.

“As he was sat down a man went up to him and said ‘I’m taking that’ and walked off with it in broad daylight. He was so upset and so angry, it took him a while to save up for that bike and now it’s gone.”

After it was stolen Sara believes she saw someone with it as she was driving through Gorse Hill but was unable to stop and check.

She said: “I was mortified when I found out someone had taken advantage of someone who is vulnerable. He sees the bike like a child sees a teddy bear, it’s so important to him and I just hope we can get it back.

“I saw it a couple days later and saw this kid with it who was between 15 and 17-years-old, he was with an older gentleman. They were tethering it up to one of the rubbish bins just opposite the Beijing Chef (in Cricklade Road).

“I couldn’t dump my car anywhere and go look at it, I just couldn’t do anything about it.”

They reported the stolen bike to the police but it still hasn’t been found.

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: “The incident happened on Tuesday, September 15, at St Barnabas Church in Gorse Hill.

“It is reported that the man was sat on the wall of the church at approximately 2pm when it is alleged he was approached by another man who has taken the bike and left with it.

“The bike is a dark green Vengeance bike with a 32-inch frame and has bright green writing on the wheels. Anyone who may have seen the incident, or may have seen the bike since or on an online marketplace is asked to call 101 and quote crime reference number 54200094715.”