A Shepparton family have been left devastated after their 10-year-old’s bike was stolen from outside a friend’s house.
Young Heather-Maree Cripps-O’Shea’s bike was taken from the front yard of her friend’s house in Newton St on April 16 between 8.30pm and 9pm.
What is even more devastating for the family is that this is the fourth bike or scooter Heather-Maree has had stolen in about a year, according to her mother.
The youngster’s mum, Heather Fryer, is mad that the iridescent green and purple BMX bike has been stolen.
She is also upset that her daughter, who has ADHD and is on the autism spectrum, has had her property stolen so many times.
The first thing taken was a scooter from the front yard of their home.
The replacement scooter was also stolen from the yard of a friend’s home.
Then a bike was stolen from their front yard, before this latest theft.
And Mrs Fryer is sick of it.
“They don’t have a thought in their head who they are stealing from,” Mrs Fryer said.
“This is a child. She has a disability.
“My daughter is very active and spends all of her time on her bike.
“The bike is a way of getting her to use her energy.
“How do they know if I can replace these things?
“They are taking what they want … without any regard to the hardship they are making.”
Mrs Fryer said CCTV showed what looked like teenagers taking the bike.
“What are the parents doing?” she said.
“You would hope that by 13, 14, 15 the kids would know right from wrong.
“But we seem to be living in a society that they don’t care.
“They know it is wrong but they do it anyway.”
Mrs Fryer said her daughter was distressed about the loss of her bike.
“She’s pretty angry about it and wants me to buy her a new bike, but I can’t just yet. I need to save up some money,” she said.