A 76-year-old Coles Bay man who was beaten, bound and forced to watch his home burn down says he does not think he will ever get over the ordeal.
Grant Whelan was discharged from the Royal Hobart Hospital on Thursday night, six days after two masked men allegedly broke into his rural property armed with a crowbar.
“I’m feeling awful. Absolutely awful,” Whelan told WIN.
“I’ve had a hard life, but this is the worst thing possible that could ever happen to me.”
“I just wake up thinking about it. I don’t think a bloke will ever really get over it.”
Police allege the men assaulted the 76-year-old around 5am on July 11, forced him to reveal the location of a firearms safe, then stole guns, cash and his white 1998 Toyota Hilux.
They allegedly bound his hands and feet with cable ties, dragged him into the yard and set the house alight.
Three men, two aged 31 and one aged 29, were arrested on Thursday afternoon during a targeted operation across Launceston and have been charged with several offences including aggravated armed robbery, assault, arson and motor vehicle stealing.
They are also accused of an earlier incident at the same property on June 25.
Police say 15 licensed firearms were allegedly stolen and are yet to be recovered.
Detective Inspector David Gill said the missing guns remaining in the community was a serious concern.
“We are repeating our call for people with knowledge of the location of the firearms to come forward,” he said.
Whelan’s daughter Vanessa told Pulse that the family received a direct call from Tasmania Police about the arrests, which helped put her father’s mind at ease.
“They’re in custody and they can no longer hurt him,” she said.
She said volunteers would gather at the property on Saturday to sift through debris in the hope of recovering precious belongings including a lifelong coin collection, army badges and a bravery medal.
“We just need the hands to go through it ’cause it’s a bit of a dirty, yucky job,” she said.
Vanessa Whelan said her father was determined to rebuild on the property despite the concrete slab being too damaged by the fire to use again.
“Dad is adamant that he wants to go back up there,” she told Pulse.
“He’s a stubborn old bloke and he doesn’t want them to defeat him in his lifestyle that he really, really enjoyed up there.”
A GoFundMe page set up to help fund the rebuild has reached around $80,000.
“I can’t thank the people enough for rallying around behind me,” Grant Whelan said.
