Denmead woman angered as car is targeted by thieves

A YOUNG woman has been left feeling vulnerable and angry after thieves targeted her car at night.
Catherine Hulme, 22, from Denmead, came out to her car inMill Road at 5.30am on Tuesday to find a wheel had been stolenCatherine Hulme, 22, from Denmead, came out to her car inMill Road at 5.30am on Tuesday to find a wheel had been stolen
Catherine Hulme, 22, from Denmead, came out to her car inMill Road at 5.30am on Tuesday to find a wheel had been stolen

Twenty-two-year-old Catherine Hulme, from Denmead, found her Ford Ka had one tyre missing as she went to leave for work at 5.40am on Tuesday.

The Waitrose worker, who parks her car directly outside her home on Mill Road, noticed the missing wheel had been replaced with what appears to be a breezeblock.

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She said: ‘As I walked towards my car I noticed something wasn’t right ,and I wondered what the hell had happened.

‘Whoever did this had taken the wheel and the alloys and nuts, and to keep the car balanced and so a noise wasn’t made, a breezeblock was put underneath.

‘If I hadn’t noticed the tyre was missing I could have gone to drive off, damaged the car and possibly hurt myself.

‘Apart from the missing wheel there is absolutely no damage to my car, which makes me think the person or people knew what they were doing.

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‘It’s absolutely disgusting that people think they can do things like this.

‘I park my car just outside my house on Mill Road, which is usually very quiet and is next to a country lane.

‘People don’t really go down there unless it’s for a reason.’

Catherine wasn’t able to get to work, and had to get her sister, who also works at Waitrose, to change her working hours so the two could travel together.

She has also had to pay £150 to have the wheel replaced.

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Police advise that if people are parking on the street, to make sure it is in a well-lit residential area in public view.

Catherine added: ‘My car is now on the drive.

‘I don’t feel confident about leaving it on the road outside my own house, which is such a violation.

‘My younger sister who’s got the same car also doesn’t want to park there.

‘I want to make residents in the area aware this happened.

‘I’d hate for anyone else to feel how I feel now and to have to fork out for new tyres because of thieves.

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‘There are a lot of elderly people in Denmead and it doesn’t bear thinking about if this happened to one of them.’

Anyone with any information about the theft should call the police on 101, quoting #44170085281.