Australian boy's hearing and sight stolen in bag snatch

A snatch-and-grab robbery on the Sunshine Coast has left a five-year-old deaf, blind and frightened. George Storie, from northwest NSW, was holidaying with his family, swimming at the Mooloolaba Spit, when his mother's bag was snatched at about 4.30pm on Australia Day.

The bag contained George's new cochlear implant and his specially prescribed glasses. Neither are of use to anyone else but they are a lifeline for the boy, his mother said. Anna Storie said George can barely hear without the cochlear implant and is legally blind without his glasses.



"He is quite distressed," Ms Storie said. "He keeps asking where they are. It is really sad. I can't believe it."

Witnesses said the bag was taken by a group of teenagers, who ran off when pursued. George's mother has appealed to anyone who finds the items to hand them to local police. Spec Savers in Melbourne have now offered to pay for the glasses and Australian Hearing has put its hand up to pay for the processor.