Thieves take wheelchair lift meant for child with cerebral palsy

by Ed Ernstes (ernstes@wsbt.com)

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Scrap metal thieves took a metal wheelchair lift like the one pictured from WheelchairHelp.org in Elkhart over Easter weekend.

Scrap metal thieves took a metal wheelchair lift like the one pictured from WheelchairHelp.org in Elkhart over Easter weekend. The lift was supposed to go to a local family with a child who has cerebral palsy. (WSBT photo)

By Beth Boehne

ELKHART — Scrap metal thieves in our area have apparently hit a new low. Over the Easter weekend they took a metal wheelchair lift from a non-profit agency in Elkhart.

It was supposed to go to a local family with a child who is wheelchair bound with cerebral palsy. Now it is nowhere to be found.

The theft was discovered Friday afternoon at a non-profit agency called WheelchairHelp.org in Elkhart. It provides wheelchairs, power chairs, walkers, and accessories for those in need at reduced cost.

Scrappers took a wheelchair lift near a loading dock outside. It weighed about 1,000 pounds.

"We had made arrangements to gift it to a family in South Bend, with a child, 3 years old, with cerebral palsy,” explained Joe Lidy with WheelchairHelp.org. “And now we're not sure what's going to happen. We just hope the lift is recovered.”

The lift had been donated by a Chicago family who had a son with cerebral palsy. The agency took the time and expense to move it to Elkhart.

It is believed it would take four people to move it.

"Yes and a winch and probably a special transport trailer, like we rented to move it originally,” Lidy said.

Police say they are scratching their heads over this theft. They've seen scrappers steal metal in a number of different situations, but nothing like this.

“It’s one thing to steal aluminum from your backyard, when you are getting ready to recycle but to come in and steal somebody's wheelchair lift for somebody that can't even afford to go buy one, that's just crazy,” said Elkhart Police Lt. Ed Windbigler.

“They cost around $7,000 new,” Lidy said. “We estimate its value to be around $5,000, but actually it’s priceless."

Lidy says he hopes to recover the wheelchair lift in one piece. He hopes scrappers have not already cut it into pieces.

Wednesday, Mar 26 at 4:30 PM Anonymous wrote ...

It's really too bad that we can't electrify all these metal things these weasels like to steal. Of course, considering they are so stupid that they actaully try to steal things from live electrical equipment, it probably wouldn't stop them. I have an aluminum bat they can have.....upside their head.

Wednesday, Mar 26 at 1:06 PM L wrote ...

My husband has contacts with a large steel co. in the area. They are looking into how they can help. When I told my husband about this he wanted all the info. i could get and he is on a mission to help. There are GOOD people doing GOOD things out in this crazy world we live in. Thanks to all those who care, and my hubby.

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 6:14 PM the old saying wrote ...

what goes around comes around.why be so hatefull. it not so funny when somthing bad happens to you.whoever was cruel and hatefull to do that steal.

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 4:10 PM Lamont wrote ...

Inferior people have to make a living robbing their superiors. I don't like it, but no one consulted me when the Universe was being put together.

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 4:03 PM want to help wrote ...

OOPS! I geuss they are posting it. Sorry to every one about the reposts

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 3:45 PM want to help wrote ...

you can go to this web site and get the number and address for them. I dont know why they wont post my message with it in there. Why do they have to make it so hard to help someone. Thank you to all who is going to donate. With our help this child can have her lift for summer. God Bless WheelchairHelp.org in Elkhart

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 2:54 PM want to help wrote ...

For all the loveing people who want to donate please call the wheel chair lift help @(574) 295-2230 or visit them @ 1201 Richmond St Elkhart . Just tell them that you want to help give them baby her wheel chair lift..I think if we all open our hearts and send something this little angel can have one by summer. God gives the children to us. It is our gift from above. Thank you to all who can help with money or prayers.

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 2:39 PM Sick wrote ...

My husband works 40 hrs. a week at a regular, but he has scraped his whole life. He would Never do such an awful thing! It makes us sick that they are out there stealing and making the other decent folks look so bad. And this family who needed it so desperately, my heart goes out to you! I'll donate, just let me know where to send the money!!

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 1:52 PM want to help wrote ...

I found the site. just call them and say you would like to help buy this baby another lift. here is there info. Wheelchairhelp.Org Inc 1201 Richmond St Elkhart, IN, 46516 (574) 295-2230 God Bless to every one helping. Please dig deep for this little girl who is too inocent to understand crime.

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 12:50 PM Laura C wrote ...

I have contacted Ed W. at the Elkhart Police and he will get back to me about where we can all send donations - $100 or $1. It all adds up! I have a son with autism and I know how hard it is, time- and money-wise, to get adaptive equipment. The subhuman trolls who stole the lift might not have known what it was for, but the scrap yards now have notice not to buy this stolen propery, in whole or pieces. Maybe we should start calling the scrap yards? I'll post info on a fund when I get it.

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 12:48 PM Talia wrote ...

To all who wants to donate...this article lists WheelchairHelp.org as the organization gifting it to the childs family. to be make sure it gets to the right person, makes sense to contact them directly. that is what I am doing

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 11:45 AM for real wrote ...

The crime is really getting out of hand, it is so sad how our society has become so ruthless. I have to agree the scrap yards really need to start being more picky in what they take in and the police need to be more involved in the scrap yards. I have very little tolerance for these idiots strung out on drugs, our next generation is looking very bad and it is very sad the parents don't teach the kids respect and responsiblity anymore. Discipline your child anymore and go to jail, so sad.

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 10:10 AM watching out here wrote ...

my brother is a cop. he often finds bigger crimes when he stops for traffic violations. At the same time, he's making safer and more pleasant for living in the city. if you have no respect for traffic laws, then you are just as much a criminal as a thief, if not as socially unacceptable.

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 9:57 AM chris wrote ...

A time will soon come when people are going to start taking the law into their own hands on some situations. I would personally like to find the low lifes with no jobs and spend about 10 mins. with each of them. They will think twice about taking someone else's stuff when I get done. They would be lucky if they could lift toilet paper to wipe their own butt.

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 9:56 AM Linda wrote ...

I am willing to donate $5.00 or more. I hope whoever took this chair would get caught and have to do community service with this young child. I think his heart would be softened and a true lesson learned here. Some people truly can't see the forest for the trees.

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 9:28 AM ms wrote ...

If they find out this was done for drug or alcohol money they need to ship them off. Build a special prison for these type of people. Allow them 2 chances to go thru recovery etc and after third time away they go. We have got to start stopping this from happening. They have not respect or morals. Is it an addiction-yes. But should the rest of the world suffer for it-no. Life is hard enough let alone for this child who has extra challenges with everything he/she has to do. My prayers to victim

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 8:11 AM Anon wrote ...

Anonymous 853 Quit blaming the police for this. How do you think the punks that stole this will get it to a scrap yard? Walk it?

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 7:54 AM AW. wrote ...

I cried when I read this one. Being the wife of a man who has cerebral palsy, this one hurt below the belt. These cowards only have God to face in the end, for only He can give them the punishment they deserve. If there's a way I can help, I'd be glad to.

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 7:39 AM ev wrote ...

these scrap yards that buy this stuff are surely as guilty as the creeps who steal it. the scrap yards should be shut down, let one stay open and have a police officer be watching every item brought in.

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 6:40 AM saddened wrote ...

I am not surprised but saddened. As a mom with kids who use wheelchairs, I can tell you finding an adapted home is nearly impossible, adapting one like this is a precious gift and taking the lift, a slap in the face for those trying to do right by their children. They might even be using it themselves making it easier and harder to find.

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 6:16 AM want to help wrote ...

Thank you to all who said they would donate. I have sent an email to Ed, and hopefully he will let us know where to make donations to. Pitski 5 Thank you . With donations like this we will get this baby another lift in no time. God bless

Tuesday, Mar 25 at 12:14 AM pitski5 wrote ...

if we could give I will personally give 100.00 to replace the lift. please let us know where

Monday, Mar 24 at 11:37 PM bobbie wrote ...

I hope they fry the thiefs if and when they are caught. lets make an example of them. I too have a child with cp and equipment is very expensive and hard to get. My heart goes out to the family as for the thiefs may you rot in hell.

Monday, Mar 24 at 11:01 PM outraged wrote ...

A new low? That's lower than low. The only consolation I can think of is,eventually, you reap what you sow. Take that, you creeps!

Monday, Mar 24 at 10:40 PM Jeff wrote ...

The responsibility rests on both the scrappers and the scrap yards. Any scrap yard that has something like this brought in surely knows it's stolen. Just like when people bring in buckets of brass water values at the same time there are news reports of such values being stolen! If you can't catch the thieves, go after the buyers of the stolen property!

Monday, Mar 24 at 9:47 PM Anon wrote ...

I hope these thieves rot in hell

Monday, Mar 24 at 9:29 PM good golly wrote ...

man-times is tuff if peeps be out taking stuff for a sick kid- hope they catch them deadbeets.

Monday, Mar 24 at 9:10 PM Laura wrote ...

Maybe some of the steel companies in the area could help with this. If they could help that would be great. Its a shame they would do something like this. They had to know that it wasn't junk. I hope we can get this replaced for this young girl.

Monday, Mar 24 at 8:53 PM Anonymous wrote ...

It is a good thing we have more police watching for traffic violations. Maybe they should be using the time to hunt for these low lives. This might be one of the lowest things I ever heard of. Who steals from a 3 year old let alone one who suffers from cerebral palsy. Soon the good people of this area are going to have had enough and demand something be done about the crime rates rising or they will take to the streets themselves.

Monday, Mar 24 at 8:46 PM i totally agree wrote ...

I work with students with disabilities and frankly, this ticks me off! I can't even imagine what kind of people would do this sort of thing. The economy is rotten right now, I understand, but to take something like this is uncomprehendable. Those of us who are able-bodied can accomodate for ourselves- but a child with cerebral palsy can not. I can only imagine how long this family had to wait for this device to be available, but now they have to wait because of heartless criminals...

Monday, Mar 24 at 8:16 PM want to help wrote ...

I would like to help with this and as many comments that go through these feeds I would like to challenge everyone to just give 5 bucks. Please some one let us know how we can donate. Thank you

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