A Dundee couple say they are terrified to think what might have happened if they had disturbed thieves who broke into their home in the middle of the night and stole the car they rely on.
Alister Gillon, 58, was asleep when someone broke into his sheltered accommodation and found his car keys on the kitchen table, before taking off with the vehicle.
Eunice McIntosh, who has been wheelchair-bound since a leg amputation, was in a care home at the time of the incident, but does live in the Garry Place property.
Eunice, 58, was shocked when she got the call from Alister that culprits had made off with their Hyundai Tuscon, which the couple rely on for hospital appointments, as well as day-to-day errands.
The car has been traced but a mobile phone and two purses were also stolen.
A neighbour also reported his front door showed signs of an attempted forced entry.
Alister said he is still recovering from the emotional turmoil of the theft, which happened in the early hours of last Saturday morning.
The theft happened the same week as disabled woman Helen Hood watched in horror as a crook stole her car in broad daylight from her Union Terrace home.
A police spokesman said there is nothing to suggest the incidents are linked. The thefts happened four days apart, in different areas of Dundee.
Alister said: “I woke and went to the toilet and noticed the window was fully open.
“We normally keep it cracked open a bit overnight, so I was a bit worried when I saw that.
“I then went into the kitchen and looked at the table where I keep the car keys and saw they weren’t there. I ran down the hall to the front door and saw the car was stolen.
“After the police came, I sat on the couch thinking about it. I just broke down in tears and couldn’t stop. It’s not like me to get so emotional.”
The car was found at nearby Camperdown Road soon after. Alister suspects the thieves ditched it as there was not a lot of fuel in it.
The vehicle is still with the police forensics team and Alister and Eunice have a courtesy car in the meantime, at a cost of £100.
The couple said what scares them the most is what might have happened if Alister had woken up during the invasion.
Police told them the thugs likely fully opened the window from outside by releasing a catch in the window frame with a screwdriver or similar tool.
“If I had woken up and went into the living room, they could have stuck the screwdriver in me,” Alister said.
The couple’s dog, Sid, was in the living room and is thought to have slept through the ordeal.
“If he had started barking they probably would have hurt him too,” Eunice said.
“They must have been so quiet.”
The couple now ensure all doors and widows are fully locked at night now.
A police spokeswoman said: “It was reported to us in the early morning of the September 21.
“The vehicle was recovered nearby shortly afterwards, but is still with the forensics team. Enquiries are ongoing.”
