Bike thieves strike as doc saving lives
I know so many people in Townsville who have been robbed and it’s disgusting.
DR LOUIS SNELLGROVE
AN EMERGENCY department doctor finished a long, busy shift at the Townsville Hospital to find his bike and method of transport had been stolen from a secured shed while he was working.
Two young men broke into the hospital’s bike shed, which is only accessible by swipe card, and sawed off or cut through locks making away with two bikes on Sunday about 5pm.
Dr Louis Snellgrove walked back to the bike shed after finishing his shift to ride home when he discovered they had been stolen.
“It’s just a disgrace, and the problem is with the criminal justice system that doesn’t punish these people to deter them from reoffending,” Dr Snellgrove said.
“I know so many people in Townsville who have been robbed and it’s disgusting.
“I was serving the public and they robbed me, targeting members of the hospital while they’re trying to treat the vulnerable of our society.”
Dr Snellgrove had only been back home for two weeks when his bike worth $4000 was stolen.
He along, with another doctor, finished a circumnavigation of the globe by tandem bicycle in 283 days to raise money for spinal research and the Brain Foundation, cycling 29,000km.
“It’s the first time I bought a decent bike, all my previous ones were second-hand bikes so I thought finally buy a nice bike because I really enjoy cycling and had just finished a charity bike ride,” Dr Snellgrove said.
“I had pre-ordered it and was really excited to get my new bike, and it’s been stolen.”
Dr Snellgrove said he was disappointed the hospital in particular was targeted while he and his colleagues were working.
“I’d be less angry if they had been stolen from Woolies,” he said.
The Queensland Police Service was contacted for comment and were yet to confirm whether the men had been caught.