Bruce Kronberger with his Fairlane which had all four wheels stolen in the early hours of Saturday. PICTURE: KATE HEALY
A 52-YEAR-OLD man with a disability, who had all four wheels from his car stolen at the weekend, has called the thieves “heartless”.
Creswick resident Bruce Kronberger and his family woke up on Saturday morning to find themselves stranded in their home thanks to the handiwork of a few crooks.
“My wife went out to get the newspaper and found the car sitting on chocks – planks of wood,” Mr Kronberger said.
“The thieves saw the disabled sticker and probably thought (I) was a soft target.
“They are pretty heartless.”
The father of two is on a disability pension after a car accident 10 years ago left him only partially mobile.
“My hips are crushed,” he said.
“My wife drives me around but we are stuck at home at least until Monday when we can get the car fixed.”
However, Mr Kronberger, who only receives $500 a fortnight, will be out-of-pocket $550 in insurance bills.
“It is a lot of money when you are on a disability pension,” he said.
“It seems the thieves were well-prepared.
“They came with planks of wood so they could do the job quickly and quietly.”
The theft, Mr Kronberger said, must have happened in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The car, he said, could have been targeted because of its vintage value.
“It is a 1988 Ford Fairlane and it is at a point where it is becoming a classic,” Mr Kronberger said.
“The thieves probably wanted the tyres because they are hard to get.
“But the irony is that the car had a flat so it only had three matching tyres and a spare.”
Creswick Police Acting Sergeant Geoff Davies said police were looking for witnesses.
“If anyone saw suspicious activity around the (victim’s) address then they should report to the Creswick police,” Acting Sergeant Davies said.
Any information to Creswick Police on (03) 5345 2220.
neelimachoahan@thecourier.com.au
