NORWOOD, Mass. — Norwood Police are searching for a man caught on surveillance video stealing a purse that contained hearing aids from the victim’s car Thursday.
Katie Seastedt told Boston 25 News she had run into Seven Hens convenience store on Washington Street to buy some fountain drinks for a work lunch celebrating a coworker’s upcoming paternity leave. She had left the car unlocked and the window open, and inside was her purse containing her car keys, a cell phone, some money and – most importantly – her hearing aids, which she had taken out and left charging to give herself a break from them during lunch.
“I definitely take responsibility. I shouldn’t have left my car unlocked. I shouldn’t have done a lot of things,” Seastedt said. “However…you just run in to grab that Diet Coke. And that Diet Coke just ended up costing me a lot more than a Diet Coke.”
Seastedt, 34, has had high-decibel hearing loss her whole life but just recently bought her first pair of hearing aids and was still adjusting to them.
“I recently got the hearing aids about six months ago. So, it’s a hard adjustment coming back out without them… realizing that I do depend on them,” an emotional Seastedt said. “So, the last 24 hours is re-learning how to lip-read – hopefully people aren’t wearing masks – and then, asking people to talk up just because I can’t hear them.”
Surveillance images show the suspect at the counter of the store shortly before Seastedt walks in. He is later seen reaching into the open window of the car before, police said, he leaves in an older gray sedan with a black roof heading north on Washington Street.
The hearing aids cost about $7,000. Steastedt is working with the hearing aid company and hoping insurance will cover them.
“Unfortunately, with health insurance, I am young, so I didn’t qualify for scholarships or medical assistance,” she said of buying her first pair. “It is all out of pocket, and so I’m still paying those hearing aids off. So, we’ll see what happens, because I might have to pay those off and then buy a new pair. So, a lot of money.”
Seastedt is an important figure in the community. As assistant director for the town’s recreation department, she has been coordinating camps and fun events for years and bonding with kids from countless Norwood families. Now, those parents are sharing the police department’s Facebook post about the theft, hoping to help her recover her stolen property.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” Seastedt said. “It speaks volumes of the support I have in Norwood and the families that truly do care about finding not only my bag but my hearing aids.”
Seastedt’s purse is a large brown Coach bag. Her hearing aids look similar to Apple AirPods, but one is red and the other blue. They have rose gold on the back and were in a travel case.
Police ask anyone with information to call Officer John Rooney at 781-440-5100.
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