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Theft - are we too easy of a target?

Dec 07 04:43

Sometimes I struggle with what to write about for my blog, but today, that is definitely not a problem. Nothing gives you more of an incentive to write then an emotional rise, and nothing fuels the emotions more than having someone steal from you. Today, for the third time in a year, I have caught a PCA stealing from me.

I have to say, one of the worst things about my level of spinal cord injury is needing PCAs. I've had so/too many PCA's steal from me over the years. The first time a PCA stole from me was when I was still in rehab. My dad had bought me some new makeup and clothes from the mall, dropping me back off at rehab at the end of the day. The next day, I discovered I was missing half of the things I had gotten. That was when I first realized that people will steal from you even if you have a disability.

At first, I didn't want to think people would steal for me. I thought they would feel bad for me because of my disability, and would at the very least not steal. But I guess the temptation is too great. The next time a PCA stole for me was when I was in the bathroom taking a shower in college. She took my ATM card out of my wallet, then went downstairs to the ATM in my building to take out $350 (to help supply her boyfriend's drug habit). That was my fault., I should've never told her my PIN number. And I never saw that money again.

And today, I had another PCA steal from me. Or rather, it happened a couple of days ago, but I didn't notice until this morning. This time it was another fancy product that was stolen - a new bottle of Victoria's Secret lotion. It blows my mind she stole from me, because she knew just how excited I was to get those, and she also, being 19 and has few bills and plenty of spending cash, really didn't need to steal a $10 bottle of lotion from me.

That's why I pose this question today to you: Do you think people still from us simply because it's almost too easy? Do they think we're stupid and won't notice? Are they bizarrely jealous of us in some way?

I ended up firing my PCA after finding out about the theft today. All she asked was for a signed timesheet; no apology. I still have a gross feeling in my stomach.

Have you had experience with PCAs who steal? How have you dealt with it?

http://www.newmobility.com/browse_thread.cfm?id=446&blogID=19

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1. Till | Dec 10 12:29

I know about stealing. Had it done to me. After getting a GR bed ($220/month via GR services - bunch of crap if you ask me.....) back in Feb., one of my room mates, R., hard core black guy in his late 40's, saw me many times place some change into a small bag. I count my money EVERYDAY, rain or shine. I do know what I got. Didn't get that answer when I came home at night, discovered, as odd as it was, one Bus Token and $2.60 gone. Why such an odd amount??? Why not steal the whole frigging bag?? I went up to him and acted like John Wayne. He nearly busted me in the mouth for such. LOL Fortunately transferred to a diff. room with 2 other guys, no problem. But it happens cause people want whatever you got, even if it's not much. - DT

2. WHEELS | Mar 02 03:45

I WAS ROBBED BY MY HOME HEALTH AIDES FOR OVER 7 YRS. MISSING MEDICATIONS, CIGARETTES, CASH AND MY BANK ACCT. DRAINED OUT ONLINE. EMPLOYEES TURNED OVER THROUGH OUT THE YEARS AND IT WASN'T JUST ONE THIEF BUT A HANDFUL! AT FIRST NO ONE BELIEVED ME. IF YOU HAVE 5 OR 10 DIFFERENT PEOPLE COMING THROUGH THE WEEK, HOW CAN YOU FIGURE OUT THE THIEF? IT JUST DEPRESSED ME SO BAD AND SO DISGUSTED WITH PEOPLE THAT WOULD STEAL FROM A PARAPLEGIC! AND THIS LINE OF WORK THEY ARE IN YOU WOULD THINK, A LITTLE COMPASSION HERE PLEASE! I'M OUT OF MY APT. NOW AND INTO A NURSING HOME WITH NOTHING LEFT TO STEAL. SO SAD, TO STEAL FROM ANYONE!

Spin 2.0

By Tiffiny Carlson

Tiffiny Carlson Disability buzz, travel, fashion and dating — fun things to amp up everyday wheeling life.

Tiffiny Carlson is freelance writer and writes the “SCI Life” column for New Mobility. She's also a C6 quad from a diving accident that occurred when she was 14 years old. A lifelong resident of Minneapolis, Tiffiny has been a writer in the disability community for over 10 years and writes for several publications and blogs, as well as her personal blog BeautyAbility. Her work has also appeared in mainstream publications such as Nerve.com and Playgirl.