Athenree crash victim Alan Taikato is hitchhiking again after his new pride and joy, a donated electric bike, was stolen from outside Tauranga Hospital last Friday.
The ACC beneficiary was gifted the $2000 bike after concerned local Tee Carroll publicised how much his life had changed since his previous bicycle was stolen from his shed.
But barely a month later Mr Taikato, who carries injuries from a car crash, has been reduced to thumbing lifts after a thief spotted the unlocked bike outside the hospital's main entrance.
Mr Taikato had just completed his first big power-assisted ride and had popped in for a quick chat to his cousin in hospital before doing other things in Tauranga.
"I was not there for any longer than five minutes but I came out to find the bike had gone. I know I should have locked the bike, but it was at the main entrance, by the outpatients. I thought it would have been safe there."