WORKMAN ROBBED OF HELPING THE DISABLED

Fury after £2k of gear stolen

This kind of thing makes you wonder if it’s all worthwhile TERRY FRAME BELFAST YESTERDAY

A WORKER planning to fix heating for the elderly and disabled has had up to £2,000 worth of equipment stolen from his van. Terry Frame is faced with a heavy credit card bill as he was forced to buy tools to ensure he could complete his jobs for the vulnerable in the community. The 25-year-old North Belfast man, who works as a heating engineer, said the theft was “heartbreaking”. Terry added: “We do a lot of work for disabled people and the elderly and I had a lot of jobs booked in for Saturday morning. I went down to the van that morning and saw the back door was open a bit with a vacuum cleaner smashed on to the floor. “I opened the door and all the tools and stock from the van was missing. “It was the likes of gas testing equipment, hand tools, socket sets and two ladders. “You’re talking at least £1,500 to £2,000 worth of stuff. I have had to borrow some equipment and then buy a lot of tools on my credit card to keep me going on the day and get people’s heating sorted. “It’s heartbreaking. You work hard and we would also take a lot of kids on from the community and try and bring them into the trade and show them what’s involved. “And then this kind of thing happens and it makes you wonder if it’s worthwhile.” Terry parked up his van at around 9.30pm on Friday in Mountainview Gardens, North Belfast, with thieves thought to have struck between then and 9.30am on Saturday. A PSNI spokesman appealed for any witnesses to the incident to contact police.