Father could have been killed after the oxygen tank was stolen from his wheelchair

A 63-year-old man feared he might die after his oxygen tank was ripped from his power wheelchair.

Geoffrey Taylor had his headphones on while listening to a phone call in the Brambles Farm area of ​​Middlesbrough.

Suddenly he felt himself gasping for air.

Geoffrey, who needs round-the-clock oxygen, started hyperventilating when he turned and three boys in trapper hats ran off.

He told TeesideLive: “I came back from my friends and got a call so I stopped to plug in my headphones to hear my call. While I was on the phone, some youngsters came by and cut open the oxygen tank on the back of my power chair and took the whole thing.

“I didn’t even feel them until I felt like I couldn’t breathe properly. I turned and noticed these guys were running away and then I realized my oxygen tank was gone.

“They were three together. They actually cut my oxygen line too, I didn’t feel it at all!

“I panicked a bit because I started hyperventilating. I went straight back to my apartment and just collapsed.

“It’s hard enough since it’s disabled. But then this should happen to you.«

Geoffrey said he was told the oxygen tank was found abandoned near Brambles Farm.

The father of three added: “I don’t think they know how much – it’s someone’s life and they could take it away. We are not all angels when we are children.

“But at the same time, we would never think of doing that to anyone else. The consequences are they could have killed me, I just don’t want it to happen to anyone else.’

Geoffrey is now on 24/7 oxygen for complications after suffering a blood clot in his knee.

He says that he has too much carbon dioxide in his blood, so he needs a constant supply of oxygen and therefore cannot walk very far.

Cleveland Police Department on Wednesday issued an appeal for anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward.

A spokesman for the force said: “A 63-year-old man using a wheelchair was driving down College Road in Middlesbrough when three suspects approached him and stole an oxygen tank from the back of the wheelchair.

“The incident occurred on Tuesday March 14 at 1 p.m. Two of the males were described as wearing blue trapper hats and one of the males was wearing a gray trapper hat.

“One man was wearing a wax jacket and the other a bomber jacket. All are believed to be teenagers.

“Anyone who witnessed the incident or knows the men responsible is asked to contact the Cleveland Police Department on 048121 at number 101. The independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at

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