Toowoomba man with disability urges criminals to help return stolen wheelchair after Centenary Heights vehicle thefts

A Toowoomba man has pleaded with thieves who stole his $15,000 custom-made wheelchair to return it, saying the incident has turned his life upside down.

Elisha Elisaia had his car containing his wheelchair stolen, Thursday, May 2, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

A Toowoomba man living with a disability has issued a plea to heartless thieves who stole two cars from his home — “please return my wheelchair”.

Elisha Elisaia’s life was turned upside down on Sunday morning after as many as four offenders broke into his Centenary Heights house while he and his family slept and stole the keys to two cars.

“My daughter came running up the stairs and she said she thought someone had been in the house,” he said.

“I looked to window of my bedroom and I saw the lights of cars when they are unlocked flash.

“My daughter and wife ran out the front of the house and the two cars (a Kia Sportage and Mitsubishi Eclipse) were gone.”

One of the vehicles had Mr Elisaia’s $15,000 custom-built wheelchair in the back; a device he has needed to get around after suffering an incident that damaged his spine in late 2022.

Elisha Elisaia had his car containing his wheelchair stolen, Thursday, May 2, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“The wheelchair is custom-made to suit me and I need it — I’ve started walking longer distances (as part of my rehabilitation), maybe 20-30m with crutches and after that I need my wheelchair,” he said.

Police have since located both vehicles, but the wheelchair was not in either of them.

Mr Elisaia said he now faced the prospect of waiting months for a new chair that fits his large frame.

“It takes six to eight months to get from time of order, so I would have to get measured for it and wait six months,” he said,

“Friends have offered their chairs but because mine was custom-made.”

The popular Toowoomba businessman said the details of the shocking and brazen act had left him feeling “gutted and useless”.

“One of the set of keys was upstairs, the other set of keys were in my daughter’s handbag (downstairs), so they came into her bedroom as she slept and got into her handbag,” Mr Elisaia said.

“I felt sick, that someone was in my daughter’s room.

“The realisation too that because my injury I wouldn’t be able to do anything to stop them, I felt useless, gutted and sick.”

Mr Elisaia had nothing but praise for police, while urging anyone with information about the missing chair to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

“It just makes life hard — (after) the last 18 months of what I’ve been through, (it) is just tiring,” he said.

The chair is pushed manually, with its frame described as electric-blue.

Residents can also contact Police Link on 131 444 if they have information.

The theft comes nearly a year after the wheelchair of prominent disability advocate Alyce Nelligan was stolen in similar circumstances.

Thanks to support from media include The Chronicle, the chair was later recovered.

Originally published as Toowoomba man with disability urges criminals to help return stolen wheelchair after Centenary Heights vehicle thefts