By Beckie Wilson
Two elderly Masterton women were left feeling unsafe in their homes after thieves struck on two consecutive nights, breaking into their cars, and stealing one.
Dot Hutton awoke early on Saturday morning at her Newland Place property off Cole St, to collect the Times-Age from her letterbox, but was left confused after not spotting her car in its usual car park.
“I thought maybe I parked it on the street instead,” she said.
The car was later located in Essex St at about 9am on Saturday with broken windows and a damaged ignition, she said.
Mrs Hutton’s neighbour awoke about 2am Sunday having heard noises outside near her car.
“So, she yelled out at them and they ran away . . . she thinks they were about to push it down the street.”
Mrs Hutton and her neighbour have the same Nissan March cars that were parked side-by-side in front of their homes.
“The cheek to come back the next night, and target the car right next to it,” she said.
“I can’t think of the attraction — they are like wee nana cars.”
Mrs Hutton relies on her car to get her around due to having a “bad leg”.
She is devastated to think that someone would go down the quiet seven house cul-de-sac where elderly women live.
One of her concerns is paying for the insurance excess, and being without her vehicle for over a week.
She was told by police that they suspect it is a group of young people, some as young as 12, who are targeting cars around the area.
“We are only on pensions and live fortnight to fortnight, and now I have to pay an excess of $400 [insurance].
“The parents should be made to pay [it] . . . anyone who is on a pension will know.”
Why did the woman yell at them & scare them away! She should have kept quiet & quickly rung police so the little s…heads could be caught!!