ELDERLY residents feel like the "forgotten" people after yobs broke into their home and stole motorised scooters.

Residents of Iris Court in Tilehurst have been left furious after Southern Housing Group failed to act on their concerns that the building was insecure.

Thieves broke into the over 50's home in Iris Court sometime between August 9 and 11, and valuable possessions were stolen.

The residents of the home had held a meeting with a housing officer just week before the robbery took place, and claim they told the company that were concerned about the security of the building, and the door to rubbish room in particular.

Just weeks after their meeting, thieves broke in through the bin room, and made their way along the corridor to the scooter room.

An IZIP electric bike, a Go-Scooter wheel chair, Invacare Meteor Mobility scooter (registration rx13abf), A Metro Mobility scooter and a push bike were all stolen.

Jean Channing, who has one leg and is partially sited, said she had only just bought her motorised scooter, so she could get out and about.

But since her scooter was stolen, she hasn't been able to join her regular church services.

Mrs Channing said: "This is such a lovely place to live, but this has left a very sour taste in my mouth.

"The door to the waste bin room was not secure, we had a meeting with representatives from Southern Housing just a couple of weeks ago and we told them that the rubbish room was not secured.

The 71-year-old added that she had managed to get into the building through the garbage room door by slipping a credit card through the gap and pressing the lock.

"The building isn't as secure as Southern Homes said it is," said Mrs Channing.

"What they have down is taken away my independence.

"We reported it to the police, they came down once but they haven't done anything.

"We feel like we are the forgotten people."

Fellow resident Mike Ferriday, who was the first through the doors when the New Lane Hill home opened in 2014, added: "People have been getting through that door for some time.

"We have no warden here, we have a housing officer, and we are on our third housing officer in less than a year.

"The problem is Southern Housing Group have put a new lock on the door now but it's taken a robbery of these vulnerable people for them to act.

Troy Francis, regional director of Southern Housing Group said: “We were made aware of customers’ concerns about the doors at Iris Court and immediately reviewed the site’s security, a large piece of work which involved the re-siting of some of the CCTV cameras. We have provided additional security on the doors and are getting a secure fob locking system installed. We have offered all of the customers affected our support and will continue to do so.”

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: "Thames Valley Police is investigating a burglary other than in a dwelling, of 4 electric mobility scooters and wheelchairs from an address at Newlane Hill, Tilehurst."