Pensioner dies four days after being robbed on holiday in Yorkshire

A pensioner has died just four days after a cyclist snatched her handbag while she was on her mobility scooter on holiday in Bridlington, north Yorkshire.

Pamela Roddis, 73, from Sheffield, was on holiday alone in the seaside resort town when her handbag, containing £300 in cash and her mobile phone, was stolen outside the Gala Club on Saturday 26 January. She had just been to one of the bus station cafes for her lunch.

Police officers said she was left so shaken by the incident, she cut her holiday short and went home.

She died of a brain haemorrhage on 30 January.

Police are now searching for information on the offender.

Although her ordeal cannot be evidentially linked to her death, PC Robert Brigham and her brother Barry Neilson, 62, believe the stress of the incident may have contributed to her passing.

PC Robert Brigham told the Bridlington Free Press: "I have located two CCTV stills of a man on a bike I would very much like to speak to in connection with the theft of handbag.

"It was sad to hear Ms Roddis had passed away back in Sheffield, before I could identify her offender and bring him to justice. Now I must do so for her family in order for them to grieve.

"I have spoken to her immediate family and passed on our condolences, not just from the police force, but on behalf of Bridlington. Pamela Roddis chose for the past ten years to holiday with us for a week at a time every month, and her very last visit to our seaside town, she was left shaken, upset and saddened.

"Bridlington relies on holidaymakers to bring revenue to the area and we do not want this theft to tarnish our otherwise wonderful reputation for being a family friendly seaside town."

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Barry added: "The thing I'm most angry about is that fact that she died after having a horrible few days.

"She loved being up in Bridlington. She was always happy when she was up there.
She used to go there with her late husband William, who died about 18 months ago aged about 80, and so she had lots of happy memories in Bridlington.

"She went up once a month for the last ten to 12 years. She stayed in a guest house and spent the time seeing friends - as she'd made lot of friends up there."

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