Good Samaritans help blind busker robbed in Auckland

  • 28/04/2017
Good Samaritans help blind busker robbed in Auckland
Aucklanders came to the aid of blind busker Jono Heaps, who was robbed on Queen Street (Supplied)

A cruel theft turned into a great act of generosity this week when Aucklanders came to the aid of blind busker Jono Heaps, who was robbed on Queen Street.

The story was shared on Twitter on Thursday by Allan Moyle, who wrote: "You may know Jono, a blind guy who busks around downtown Auckland. I work with his Mum. A bad news to really good news story."

Mr Heaps told Newshub he had been busking outside one of the Burger Kings on Queen Street at around 3pm on Wednesday when someone tapped him on the shoulder and said "someone's stolen your can."

"Initially I was very upset about the loss of the can, more than the money, because I've had the can for a very long time," he told Newshub.

In the message Mr Moyle shared, Jono's mother Jean Heaps said that the witnesses to the theft took action - and ran the thief down to recover Jono's money.

"Five minutes on and another young man approached him, stating that he also had witnessed the theft and had recovered his money!" she said.

"Then a worker from the BNZ spoke to Jono and presented him with $50. The staff had seen what happened and had taken up a collection for him. Faith in human nature."

Mr Heaps has thanked everyone who helped him during the ordeal.

"When the can was returned I was very elated. I would have been more than happy with just getting the can back. But as it turned out I was able to recover all of the money as well thanks to this amazing guy who chased the perpetrator and the wonderful work of the police," he says.

He says he won't let the experience make him more "cautious or suspicious", and has taken some baking to BNZ as a thank-you to the staff.

Newshub.