One of the suspects accused of heartlessly snatching an iPad from a young deaf woman on the SkyTrain has been arrested, but Transit Police are still searching for a second.
Cassie Campbell, who also has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, was robbed last Thursday in front of several witnesses at Metrotown station in Burnaby. She followed the thieves onto the train, but they escaped at the next stop.
A group of Good Samaritans gave chase, but the suspects managed to make off with Campbell's tablet, which she uses for communication.
"It put me in shock. I was very upset, I cried for a long, long time," Campbell said through a sign language interpreter.
On Wednesday, authorities confirmed a 31-year-old man, who is known to police, had been nabbed. His name has not been released and it's unclear what charges he's facing, but police say he suffers from a serious drug problem.
Campbell says she tried to stop the thieves by blocking the SkyTrain door with her wheelchair, but they kicked and punched her on their way past.
"I wanted to fight him back and I wondered, why would he take it?" she said.
The appalling story, which aired on media outlets throughout Metro Vancouver Tuesday, inspired several CTV News viewers to call in and offer to replace her device.
Within hours of the news breaking, however, a charitable individual had already met Campbell at an Apple Store and bought her a new iPad, according to reports.
Transit Police say they're doing everything they can to tack down the remaining suspect.
He is described as six feet tall, in his early-to-mid 20s, with black hair, brown eyes and goatee stubble. He was wearing a grey hoodie, black T-shirt, black track pants and white runners.
