On the night of Monday, someone smashed the window of Carl Martin Martinsen’s car at Torshov. The only thing they took was the handicap certificate. It is the second time this has happened since November. The daughter Stella has special needs, and the HC card is important for the family in everyday life. This created trouble when the card was suddenly gone. – When you have an HC certificate and you have a wheelchair in the car, you most likely have other things to do than keep up with that HC certificate, says a frustrated Martinsen. When he returned to the car and discovered the break-in, there was also a yellow fine for parking without a HC card. – It is an experience of the weak becoming weaker, says Martinsen. He is not alone in having his card stolen. It is not uncommon for them to be stolen Magnhild Sørbotten in the Norwegian Handikapforbund says such parking permits are important to be able to participate in society on an equal basis with everyone else. – Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for them to be stolen. They are often sold for too much money, she says. The City Environment Agency in Oslo confirms that they have seen an increase in such thefts in the last two years, but they do not know the reason. – We cannot rule out that there is access to the benefits that the HC card brings with it, says Susanne Lyng, legal director of the Norwegian Urban Environment Agency. Norwegian HC cards can also be used elsewhere in Europe. In addition to a broken route and stolen HC card, Carl Martin Martinsen had to be fined for parking without a valid handicap certificate. Photo: Privat After hearing about several thefts, Martinsen thinks it is a case of organized crime. – It’s just a matter of having a list of HC places and where the cars are, and then driving around and doing a raid, he believes. Wants to change the system He believes it is time to change the systems, so that you don’t have to use a physical card. – As long as it comes in paper form, they will have a value for someone to steal, says Martinsen. The Handikapforbundet says a possible solution could be to link the parking permit to the car number. But they are also clear that it could create challenges for several people: – It would prevent disabled people, for example, from using car-sharing solutions. It will also be a problem in families where two parents, each with their own car, share driving for disabled children, says Magnhild Sørbotten. Magnhild Sørbotten in Norway’s Handikapforbund says that HC cards can often be sold for large sums. Photo: Ida C. Freng / NHF Can’t do anything about the rules myself Today there are no other solutions than the physical sign. Norway is part of an EEA system, which means that all cards must be designed the same. The Urban Environment Agency therefore does not have the option to drop the physical cards. – This is not something the Urban Environment Agency can choose to handle in a different way, says Susanne Lyng, legal director. The regulations are clear on how the cards should look and where they should be placed in the car. The City Environment Agency says they report all cases of stolen HC cards, but find that a large proportion of the cases are dismissed. – So there is no great risk in stealing an HC card, because there are no criminal consequences, says Lyng.
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Theft of HC cards in Oslo has become a common problem. Disability certificates are popular among thieves – news Oslo and Viken – Local news, TV and radio
