Victoria police seek help finding visually-impaired man’s stolen coat

VANCOUVER – Police in Victoria are looking for a thief who stole a treasured coat from the arms of a visually impaired man.

They say the 71-year-old-victim was standing at an intersection early Saturday afternoon when a bandit on a bicycle wrenched the garment from his hands and pedalled away.

Police say the burgundy Lands’ End raincoat with a sheepskin collar had been a gift from the man's late wife, and in one of its pockets was a monocular — a device that helped the man to see.

Investigators say the man was unable to describe the thief, but officers are canvassing the area for witnesses and surveillance video.

They're urging anyone who witnessed the theft near the intersection of Douglas and Fort streets to contact them immediately.