An intellectually disabled man with a distinctive magpie-proof helmet has been robbed of his bike, but not his spirit of adventure.
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Matt McMaugh, of Thirroul, is a keen cyclist whose spiky headgear has made him famous in Wollongong and the northern Illawarra.
After extensive trial runs - and a few times spent getting lost -he began using his bike to get to work, and a new world of independence opened up to him.
Mr McMaugh, 26, was preparing to disembark a train at Wollongong station on Monday when a man picked up his bike and made off with it.
“Matt’s just not used to unfriendly people,” Mr McMaugh’s younger sister, Pippa McMaugh, told the Mercury. “I think he thought someone was just helping with his bike, then they ran away with it.
“Matt relies on public transport like so many people in his disabled community. It’s unfortunate that someone would take advantage of him.”
Mr McMaugh has been unable to provide a full account of how the robbery played out, but his family believe the thief to be an older man with long hair, who didn’t speak a word to him.
The McMaughs poured great time and effort into familiarising their son with a bike, in the hope he would achieve some independence.
He called the bike 'Oval’ – in reference to its brand, and used it to travel to his jobs at Greenacres Disablity Services in North Wollongong and Ruby’s cafe at Bulli.
Mr McMaugh’s father crafted his anti-magpie hat as part of the family’s early efforts to get him riding.
He had grown fearful of the birds as a child, when he witnessed his grandfather get pecked, said his mother, Tessa McMaugh.
“Matt saw that and the blood and everything, so since that day he was always stressed about magpies,” Tessa McMaugh said.
“His dad came up with the spikes and I put eyes on it.
“It’s always good that people recognise him. Occasionally he’s had a puncture, and someone has contacted us. Generally, people are incredibly kind.”
Tessa McMaugh said her son was at first stressed by the theft and worried that “we would be cross with him”.
But his spirits had been buoyed by the hundreds of messages of support posted to social media.
The family has declined offers of financial assistance and opted to replace the bike themselves, if it is not recovered. Mr McMaugh is using a borrowed bike in the meantime.
The McMaughs hope the incident will encourage the wider community to look out for people with disabilities.
They say they hope the incident will not deter others like Mr McMaugh from pursuing their independence.
The matter has been reported to Wollongong Police, and is under investigation.
