Callous thief dumps Paralympian Karni Liddell’s mobility aid

Brazen thieves who stole a mobility aid used by Paralympian Karni Liddell have callously dumped it just metres from her house.

Brazen thieves who stole a mobility aid used by Paralympian Karni Liddell have callously dumped it just metres from her house.

Liddell’s specially designed disability e-trike was stolen from a secure car park in Kangaroo Point on the weekend.

It marks the second time in less than a year Liddell has fallen victim to theft, with her wheelchair-accessible vehicle and wheelchair stolen by a teenager from the same location last October.

Liddell said she was notified by a neighbour that her complex’s carpark was broken into on Sunday morning before discovering her trike, which is custom-made to meet her specific mobility needs, had been taken.

“I feel unsafe, I feel gross,” she said.

“They’ve stolen my independence”.

The thieves allegedly dismantled the bolt and removed the location “air-tag” to avoid detection before stealing the e-trike.

But Liddell updated her social media followers on Wednesday with the news the trike had been found, with a neighbour discovering it dumped in nearby bushland.

In an Instagram video update, Liddell shared her relief over finding her stolen trike

“Trike has been found, a beautiful lovely neighbour saw me on Sky news this morning, called the police, it was a few hundred meters from my house,” she said in the video.

Liddell added that she was able to see the CCTV footage of the theft, describing the perpetrator as a young man with tattoos and a collared shirt, possibly a school uniform.

“I’ve seen the photos, he’s got a tattoo, looks like he had a collar on, maybe a school uniform, maybe an actual business shirt, who knows,” she said.

“But we’ve got all this footage so hopefully we find him,

“This particular person was very brazen, confident, didn’t care about leaving behind DNA, it was all over the skateboard he left behind – and size 16 women’s Anko jeans from Kmart.”

Paralympian Karni Liddell in her emotional Instagram post. Photo: Instagram @karniliddell.

The thief had attempted to jump-start the battery in the electric trike but had no success so dumped the trike instead.

“The guy or the person that did it - he tried to get the battery out in all sort of which way,” she said.

“It’s amazing he didn’t blow himself out, so we’re not sure if it’s going to be okay, the battery and all the areas are being fixed, but if has been found”

The social worker yesterday said she was distressed at the lack of accountability for thieves, emphasising the need for stronger consequences from the state’s legal system.

While a 16-year-old was arrested and charged with the unlawful use of a motor vehicle in connection to the theft last October, Liddell said the most recent theft made her feel harsher penalties and improved interventions are needed for such offenders.

“I think we have to really look at the legal system,” she said.

She said young offenders shouldn’t be let go “with no community service, no support, no interventions” in place.

She argues that stealing disability equipment represents a unique type of crime, necessitating a more nuanced approach by the legal system.

“The thieves involved knew the items belonged to a disabled person, making matters worse,” she said.

“This kind of criminal, whether they’re 16 or not, the kind that puts their hands on a wheelchair, it’s just disgusting. It’s so gross to be targeted so severely as a person with a disability.”

Karni Liddell's stolen e-bike

Liddell said she didn’t believe the crimes were fuelled by socio-economic factors or drug addiction, as the thieves targeted her disability trike with no resale value, instead of pricier bikes stored in the same carpark.

“They’re not doing it for money, they’re not doing it because they’re on drugs, the psychology of it is just different. It’s a different kind of crime that demands a different approach.” she said.

“We need to stop labelling these young offenders with stereotypes and start addressing the root causes of their actions.”

Liddell said the robberies have sparked fears for her life as well as that of her six-year-old son.

“As a disabled person we’re already more likely to be robbed or raped, you add all those layers onto my life, and I’m petrified,” she revealed.

“I’ve got a six-year- old kid to look after.”

The Paralympian said the theft of her e-trike affected her daily routine and independence, explaining the lengthy and complex process of getting a replacement through the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Lidell said there was a need for community service that would expose young criminals to the realities of living with a disability.

“Let’s give them an opportunity to change their path before it’s too late,” she said.

“They need to do community service that shows them what it’s like to live like me.”

Information to Policelink on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.