Disability-access campaigner targeted by thieves

Disability access campaigner targeted by thieves
TUESDAY, 19 APRIL 2011 09:21


Disability-access campaigner targeted by thieves


Trevor Quinn

Newport native Tom Chambers (pictured) says that he has suffered sleep deprivation since intruders broke on to his property and stole over €550 worth of home heating oil in the early hours of Thursday, April 7, last.
Tom, who is a well-known campaigner and activist for improved disability access in Mayo, says he is distraught that he no longer feels safe in his own home. He is paralysed from the waist down.
“People know you’re vulnerable when they see that you’re living alone and are in a wheelchair,” he told The Mayo News. “I live on a busy roadway with a lot of people coming and going. It’s frightening and your sceptical about every little noise. It’s very hard to go to sleep at night.”
Tom has seen a lot of suspicious activity in recent times. One man in particular regularly peers out of a passing vehicle which moves at a snail’s pace. “I’ve seen a van acting suspiciously in the area in recent weeks. I’ve seen it seven or eight times driving at five miles an hour down the road. Usually vehicles drive at speed around here so it’s unusual to see vehicles going that slow.”
Tom’s fuel tank is visible from the main road, and he believes this meant that the thieves thought a quick and seemingly easy theft could be arranged. Now he is afraid to fill his tank for fear that the dastardly criminals could return.
“It’s not unusual,” he exclaims, “There are people monitoring homes and people. One of the gardaí who called to investigate my oil theft told me that he had oil stolen from his tank a few weeks back.”
Tom is pessimistic about the potential of security locks and devices for his oil tank. “A lot of the oil thieves come with big clippers now and they can cut through everything.”
He says the presence of community police has been decimated in recent years and the interaction and communication between law enforcement and local people has suffered. “They’re up in the barracks full-time. People should see them more instead of them coming down once a week asking Joe Bloggs what’s happening.”
Tom, who lives alone, recalls another incident last summer when a man brazenly walked into his house and said his wife had been in touch before taking out a measuring tape and asking him “Where do you want this back kitchen built?”
Tom tricked the man in to believing that he was not alone and thankfully the man left. The incident left him shaken, angry and frightened. He wonders why relatively small amounts of money can motivate these people to cause such grievous harm. “If they only asked for a few bob I’d give it to them.”
Once a month, Tom partakes in a Jeet Kune Do Self Defence Programme which introduces real self-defence techniques to people who have sustained a spinal cord injury. He says the programme has been very beneficial in helping with balance, fitness and confidence