YESTERDAY I became another victim of a sneak thief. I'm always suspicious of youngsters hanging around sub-post offices and supermarket check-outs.

I've got to the age where one acquires suspicion when entering a supermarket or shop, and to leave my own bike unattended, even though I've locked the machine and wheels to an immovable object like an iron post.

Previous to this incident my bike had been in full view beforehand within the town centre, so this must have been where my property was taken.

Usually, if I had any goods bought beforehand, I always took them out of the panniers and carried them into the shop or stores, rather than leave them in the zipped panniers. But it was only a sealed envelope, not worth bothering about. But not to the thief unzipping the panniers to take anything within.

I wish that I was there to see the look on his face after tearing the envelope open, hoping he had maybe a cheque for payment, a medical prescription for pain killers, or anything to ease away his symptoms for the needs, desperate needs, for a snort of the powder. I only hope he suffered 'cold turkey' last night when he found only a photocopy of a newspaper cutting.

Edward G Hill

Wemsley Grove

Tonge Moor, Bolton