Thieves steal teenager’s wheelchair to make sulky racer

A disabled teenager had his wheelchair stolen by heartless thieves while he was watching TV.

Shane Dundon, 16, was watching The X Factor on Sunday night with his family at their home in Thomondgate, Co Limerick, when his wheelchair was stolen from the front porch.

Shane keeps it there as the house is not wheelchair accessible. It was found the next day at Hartigan’s Villas, Moyross, minus the wheels.

The family was told the wheels were removed to make a sulky, a two-wheeled cart for racing.

His mother Teresa tried to get a replacement so Shane can go back to school at St Nessan’s Community College. “He is out all the time in his wheelchair and likes to keep a busy schedule. But this is really after bringing him down. He has been inside in his room for the last three days,” Teresa said.

Yesterday, St Gabriel’s School and Centre gave him a loan of a wheelchair.

When his wheelchair was discovered missing at about 10pm on Sunday, his sister Nicole went on Facebook to appeal for its return.

“She got a reply back straightaway that these lads had been seen on the Kileely Rd, stopping traffic with it. Apparently they thought it was very funny. They had plenty of time to give it back, because they knew Shane was looking for it,” his mother said.

“These lads would be in their early teens and a couple are as young as 12. They are not from Thomondgate or Kileely. I suppose they come down here stealing because they know they wouldn’t get away with it in Moyross.”

Gardaí at Mayorstone are investigating.