Theft ruins holiday for sight-impaired youth
A VISION-impaired Tableland teenager’s vital tool of communication has been destroyed after a brazen theft while he was on holidays with his family.
Cody Pizzardi, 18, had been staying at Cairns Coconut holiday resort with his mother Rebecca, four siblings and two family friends this week when intruders entered their unit.
Two mobile phones, a handbag and car keys were stolen.
But the keys were to a manual car so another unit was broken into and a set of car keys were stolen for an automatic vehicle which was driven from the scene .
Cody’s mobile phone, which he relies upon heavily to communicate and to complete tasks, was among the items stolen.
Ms Pizzardi said she was shocked by the break-in.
“We were all asleep and they took everything right beside us,” she said.
“They snuck in and the only reason we woke up because the security guard saw my car all opened up.”
Ms Pizzardi said, while she was lucky enough to get her car keys back, Cody’s phone was found destroyed.
“He’s vision-impaired so that’s pretty much his whole life skills in that phone,” she said. “There are different apps that help him read barcodes, letters, he listens to stories … that’s his whole life. “He wants to go home. “Normally he likes staying here because his younger siblings get him on the bike and they ride him around.
“But now he just wants to go home … and my other kids are stressed that (the offenders) are going to come back.”
Senior Constable Russ Parker said it was believed the robbery was between 9pm on Monday and 1.50am on Tuesday.
It is alleged the Pizzardi’s room was entered through an unlocked door.
Police investigations into the break-ins and car theft at the Anderson Rd property, Woree, are ongoing.
editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsPost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsPost