Disabled driver’s car stolen

Press, 29 July 1976, Page 6

Disabled driver ’s car stolen

PA Auckland The action in Auckland yesterday of a car thief who took a car belonging to a severely disabled person, was described by a senior police officer as despicable. A Christchurch journalist, Mr T. D. Smith, of “The Press,” who is in Auckland on a two-week sub-editing course, had his 1971 Datsun 240 Z car taken from a private city parking space some time during the afternoon.

Mr Smith has been disabled in both his legs since, birth. The car, equipped with special hand controls, is virtually his only means of getting around.

Mr Smith, who is able to walk only with the aid of crutches, said: "It is going to restrict me very much. This is true of my getting around the city, let alone trying to get back to Christchurch this week end once the course has ended.” Mr Smith said he had parked the car about 8.45 a m., and when he went to get it to return to his hotel about 4.30 p.m., it had gone. Mr Smith said the car still had foot pedals in it. “What concerns me is that the hand controls might get broken. I do not know what I would do in that case, as they are hard to come by.” He had suitcases, clothing, tools, and a cheque book in the car.

Detective Inspector M. G. Charles said: "The unlawful taking of cars—and some of them have been left unlocked or insecure — is a daily occurrence in the inner city. “But this case appears to be particularly despicable because it must have been obvious to the person who took the car that it belonged to a disabled person.”