Boy, 5, puts up his own drawings in plea for thieves to return stolen go-kart

Barney Davis @BarneyDavisES4 March 2019

A schoolboy from east London has launched a poster campaign for the return of his treasured go-kart, taken from outside his house by a passing man-in-a-van.

Riley Manning was playing on the pavement with the bright red kart — a present for his fifth birthday two days earlier — when his mother, Kayleigh, called him in for a snack.

Ms Manning, 30, said she took her eye off the toy for 30 seconds and when her son went back out minutes later it had gone.

She checked their home’s CCTV to see a large white van pull up outside and a man get out, pick up the £150 present and put it in the back.

Riley Manning on his go-kart before it was stolen

Riley, who was still in his racing driver uniform, was heartbroken. He had been begging his mother for a go-kart for months and was “overjoyed” to unwrap it on Monday morning last week.

CCTV of a man taking the go-kart into a van

Ms Manning said she took her eye off the toy to make a cup of coffee before it disappeared at 10.20am on Wednesday. She said: “As the man got out of the van he looked at me. I saw a logo on the side and assumed he was a delivery driver. I couldn’t believe it when I came out and it was gone.”

Posters drawn by Riley Manning after his go-kart was stolen from outside his house in Leyton

An upstairs neighbour called out for the man to stop and banged on the window as he put the go-kart in the van before driving away from Westdown Road in Leyton.

CCTV shows a man hurling the go-kart into a van

Ms Manning, who works part-time in a bar, said her son “loves cars and had been asking for a go-kart for ages. He was racing around on it at every opportunity — even in the house.

“He was the envy of every kid on the street, everyone at the park wanted to have a go.”

The incident has been reported to police as theft, and Riley has joined in the search by drawing pictures of himself using the go-kart and posting them up in the neighbourhood. “This man has broken my son’s heart,” his mother said. “I don’t have a lot of money or nice things. I just don’t understand why someone would do that to a child?

“He keeps asking ‘why did the man take it?’ It’s all too heavy for a five-year-old to take in. We just want it back but we are losing hope.” A Met spokesman said: “Police were contacted on Wednesday, 27 February following reports of a theft in Westdown Road, Waltham Forest at around 10am.

“A child’s go-kart is alleged to have been stolen. At this stage there have been no arrests. Enquiries continue.”