A SEVERELY disabled man has had his sheltered accommodation in Redditch town centre broken into on the day of his birthday.

Tetraplegic Oliver Medhurst, who turned 34 on Monday, September 10 was sleeping when thieves broke into the property in Prophets Close.

Using a key, which police suspect they took from his wheelchair, the raiders stole computer equipment needed for an art and design course Oliver is taking.

As well as a computer hard drive, they also stole a TV and DVD player and an X-Box.

Oliver's dad, Philip Medhurst, said: "He's a regular visitor to the Kingfisher Shopping Centre and I think somebody clocked him going there every day and then followed him back to his place.

"It was clearly a premeditated act and they would have known that they were robbing a disabled person."

He added: "What's made this crime even more shocking is that they're probably going to put the equipment to very superficial use."

Oliver (left) became a tetraplegic when he was involved in a road accident at the age of eight.

He is unable to speak or move his arms or legs.

Despite his condition, he takes part in a number of courses and is currently doing communication research which hopes to enable him to use his eyes to effectively communicate by using his computer.

Mark Dott, Oliver's carer, said: "It's terrible to think that someone was in the house moving about while we were in bed sleeping."