Chicago man's stolen wheelchair accessible van found -- but he's asked for tow fee
Gracious "good Samaritan" businesswoman donates the $290
by Victoria Johnson
Chicago Sun Times
October 29, 2010
Harvey Police notified a Park Forest man Wednesday that his stolen wheelchair accessible van had been recovered. The catch: He had to have nearly $300 to get his vehicle from a tow lot.
"I have to come up with the $265 cash to get it out," said Randy Iliff, who uses a wheelchair. "And then I have to pay $25 to Harvey."
But on Thursday, Harvey police told Ilff he had a donor -- Cindy Krause, owner of Elite Elevator Systems in Tinley Park.
Krause had learned about Iliff from earlier news reports that his van was stolen last week from the Richton Park Metra station. After it was stolen, Iliff had to ride his wheelchair -- which he says tops out at about 8 mph -- to travel the approximately two miles to the train station each day so he could get to his job at an Illinois Department of Human Services office. Total travel time to the station: About 25 minutes each way, he said. "I was like, 'You've got to be kidding me,' " Krause said. "So it just caught my attention, and I wanted to help this guy get his van back." Iliff, who has dystonia musculorum deformans, which makes it difficult to take more than a step, was pleased with Krause's help. "By Sunday, I'll be driving it again," said Krause, whose van was damaged after it was stolen. |
