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Blind and deaf Leeds DJ has equipment stolen
A blind and deaf DJ has had his lifeline braille computer and vital audio download system stolen by burglars.
The 3,000 Braille Note PK communications unit and 350 Victor Stream system are no use to anyone with sight and hearing, but they are crucial to Mike Gerwat's life.
Police believe burglars who broke into Mr Gerwat's home in Belle Isle, Leeds, may have thought that the equipment was an ordinary laptop.
Mr Gerwat, 60, who spent 21 years as a piano tuner to rock stars
including Elton John, Bob Dylan, Genesis, U2, Simple Minds, Wham and Siouxsie and the Banshees, has been blind from birth and 20 years ago he lost his hearing and with it his career and has now turned to djing.
On November 21 he is to launch his own Saturday night show between 6pm and 8pm on the South Leeds Communication Radio station.
Mr Gerwat hears with the aid of two cochlear electronic ear implants and was in his groundfloor bedroom with these connected to another computer when the burglars struck last Sunday.
Because the implants were linked-up Mike could not hear the burglars smash his front door and did not discover the raid until 9pm when he trod on broken glass in his kitchen.
He realised there had been a burglary and called his carer, Gina Gregson.
Mr Gerwat, who is vice-chairman of the Leeds Society for Deaf and Blind People, said: "I can hear people's voices, although they sound like electronic daleks, but I can't really hear tunes, I just know how to work the controls on the decks.
"The Braille computer looks like a paperback book, but it has a Braille keyboard and display and allows me to write documents and even play games. It means I can do much more. The Victor Stream has no screen, it is like an iPod and takes downloads.
"The people who have taken these items cannot possibly know or understand the damage they have done, they have no idea what it is to be deaf-blind."
* Anyone with information should contact City and Holbeck CID via 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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