Widow reunited with toy bear stolen from train

Linda Lawson was reunited with her case, which contained the bear, by PC Rob Simpson

A widow has been reunited with a teddy bear, which was a gift from her late husband, after her suitcase was stolen from a train.

Linda Lawson, from School Aycliffe, near Darlington, had boarded an LNER service from London King's Cross following a trip to Cologne.

She noticed her luggage had been taken while at Doncaster station and alerted the guard, who stopped the train.

Police scoured CCTV to find that the thief had boarded a train to Sheffield, where he was then arrested.

British Transport Police managed to track him down in under half an hour.

PC Rob Simpson handed over the case to Mrs Lawson the following day, and she was reunited with the bear, a present to her from her late husband Terence.

"It was thanks in no small part to Mrs Lawson constantly keeping her eye on her luggage that we were able to act immediately when she reported it stolen," he said.

"This and the fact that her case was very distinctive and had a ribbon threaded through the handle there was no mistaking that it was her property when we spotted the suspect with the case.”

'Vanished in seconds'

Mustafa Mouni, 32, of Glover Road, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to theft and was handed an 18-week sentence, suspended for 12 months, at Sheffield Magistrates' Court in May.

He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £154 and costs of £85.

Mrs Lawson thanked police and station staff for their help following her ordeal.

"They comforted me, put me on a train home and reassured me they had my case with everything inside and would personally reunite me with it," she said.

"The thought of losing the bear my husband gave me was too much. I am so grateful he's back home with me.

"My late husband always told me to keep an eye on my belongings so I think he probably prompted me to take a look - thankfully I did and realised that in just seconds my case had gone."