Ipswich mum recalls ‘horror’ night thief entered her Gailes home, stole her car

Car thefts are becoming increasingly common across Ipswich in the lead-up to Christmas, with four vehicles reported stolen in a little over a day. A single mum-of-two who had her car and walking sticks stolen has recalled the nightmare ordeal.

An Ipswich woman who struggles with a debilitating disability has recalled the “horror” she felt after waking up to find her home had been broken into and her car, walking sticks, mobility walker and Christmas shopping money stolen.

Alicia Devenish, 35, has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder that has rendered her body, in her words, “faulty”.

“Every single joint in my body can dislocate, so I literally fall apart,” Ms Devenish said.

“It’s almost paranoia because every step I take runs a risk of my knees dislocating or my hips dislocating. My fingers dislocate when I type and do anything.

“Every four or five steps, if I don’t have my (walking) sticks or my walker, I’m on the ground.”

Alicia Devenish said her disability meant “every step is a risk”, so her car was her lifeline. Picture: Supplied

Ms Devenish’s car was her lifeline, until Sunday when she woke to find it was missing from her home at Gailes, along with her mobility walker and walking sticks.

“It was Sunday morning. My housemate was getting up for work and … at 4.45am she came in going ‘oh my god the screen door in the laundry was open’,” she said.

“We have three key hooks behind the curtain near the door, and all of the keys were gone except my reptile tank ones.”

With her car and walking sticks missing, Ms Devenish said she was effectively housebound for five days and her son, nine, had to stay home from school.

On Wednesday night, after posting images of her car to an Ipswich Facebook group, a Booval resident reached out to Ms Devenish with information and it was located.

Ms Devenish’s car was located by a fellow member of a community Facebook group at Booval. Picture: Supplied

Thankfully, the mum-of-two’s walking sticks and three computer monitors remained in the car.

But the $500 cash she was planning to spend on her kids’ Christmas presents, and the keys to her house and car, are yet to be found.

Ms Devenish said she would have to save for a number of weeks to have her car locks and keys changed, as that will cost her a minimum of $503.

“I’m on disability. So once bills are paid, the remainder of the budget goes into food,” she said.

“Even then, the food budget is only $150 a fortnight.”

She said she would have to ask her friends to pitch in and help fund the return of her car, which she would then have to padlock while she found the money to have it rekeyed.

Ms Devenish and her brother and two sisters. Picture: Supplied

In the meantime she, her housemate and her children were all “pretty paranoid”.

They relived the “horror” of finding out someone had entered their home while they were sleeping.

Goodna Police duty sergeant Al Badger said the vehicle had been found but investigations were ongoing after some developments on Thursday morning.

“Car thefts … it’s something that we’re dealing with a lot,” Sgt Badger said.

He advised Ipswich residents to secure their homes and keep the keys to their vehicles out of sight, encouraging them to consider installing home security systems as they helped police in their investigations. This also often deterred thieves.

Four vehicles have been reported stolen across Ipswich in a little over a day, with police urging anyone with information to come forward.

Ms Devenish has started a GoFundMe to help cover some of the costs associated with having her car returned to her. To donate, click here.