Autistic boy’s stolen tricycle is returned
Published: November 25, 2005
An eight-year-old autistic boy was “absolutely delighted” to wake up today to discover that a specially adapted tricycle, stolen by thieves, had been returned to his north Belfast home during the night. [Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew]
Sean McMenamy, who is a pupil at Glenveigh Special School, thought Christmas had come early when the bike was brought back at around 1am by a man who found it down an alleyway.
The toy - described by his mother Patricia as his “only enjoyment” - had been taken from a locked shed at their Glanworth Gardens home in Skegoneil on Sunday.
The Supasystem tricycle, worth £560, had been her son’s pride and joy since she bought it for his birthday in March.
Ms McMenamy said the man returned the beloved bike after he came across a group of four or five men with it in the Waterworks area.
He went down the alleyway to look at the men left and discovered the tricycle.
“The man actually lives around this area and we know him, so when he saw the tricycle he knew straight away who it belonged to and brought it straight back to us,” Ms McMenamy added.
“I put it in the living room and went up to Sean at about 7am and told him there was a surprise waiting for him.
“You had to see his wee face when he opened the door. He was over the moon.
“He started shouting ‘My bike! The bad boys don’t have my bike any more. Please don’t let them take it again’.
“Sean’s been riding the bike round the living room ever since. There’s dirt everywhere but I don’t care a bit. He thinks Santa has come early.”
The delighted mother said the bike’s return means everything to the family.
“Sean has severe learning difficulties and autism and is like a four-year-old so he couldn’t understand it being stolen. [Children’s Learning Difficulties: A Cognitive Approach]
“Up until yesterday he was still very upset about it.
“He was completely distraught so we’re really delighted to have it back. If this had been just any old bicycle I wouldn’t have bothered too much about it but this tricycle means a lot.”
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