Edinburgh couple's blue badge stolen from car amid possible return of widespread thefts in the Parkgrove area

Janice Scott from Parkgrove near Clermiston spoke to the Evening News about her husband’s blue badge being stolen from their car parked on Parkgrove Terrace on Wednesday night after the passenger side window was smashed.

Angry about the incident just yards from the couple’s front door, Janice revealed how this theft has affected her husband, who is 74 and suffers from severe lung problems and mobility issues, showing there is no such thing as a victimless crime.

These two photos show the interior and exterior damage from the blue badge theft from this car parked in the Parkgrove area of Edinburgh on Wednesday night. | Submitted

She said: “My husband needs the car to get anywhere. He has his mobility scooter in the car when he needs to go out anywhere. He also needs the blue badge for parking close to where he’s going.

“He appreciates getting out for a bit a few times a week as he gets depressed being indoors all the time. He does a bit of photography so this will stop him doing that for a bit. He also likes looking round the DIY shops so he won’t be able to do that either.

“He also takes me for the shopping and drops me off and waits in a blue badge space near shops. He won’t be able to do that either Blue badge takes a while to get, we’ll probably need to wait 8 to 12 weeks for a replacement.

“Insurance will cover this, although an excess of £75 needs to be paid, and we had to pay £10 for a new badge. We had just paid £20 earlier this year for a renewal.”

Responding to this incident, a Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 10.40pm on Wednesday, November 13, we received a report of a break-in to and theft from a car on Parkgrove Terrace, Edinburgh. Enquiries are ongoing.”

Janice said she is worried that blue badge thefts in her area could be a widespread issue again following a spate of the crime locally a few years ago.

She said: “I know a woman called Alison, who has only lived here for six months, had the same thing happen to her on Wednesday night, so I’m worried that this crime is returning to the area.

“This happened a few years back further up the scheme. It was happening every other night for a while. Folks started bringing their badges into the house overnight and putting them back the next day.

“Police were well aware at the time. It went on for about six months. Hopefully we are not going back to that again.”

Blue badges allow disabled people to park nearer to facilities and shops. Photo by Jean-Francois Cardella/Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images

The lady Janice mentioned was Alison Weston, who posted on social media about her blue badge being stolen from the Parkgrove area on Wednesday night.

She said: “Some lovely little toerag has just smashed my car windows and stole my Blue Badge!!! Really lovely thing for them to do to a 69-year-old disabled pensioner!! I’ve not even been in Parkgrove for six months yet.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 10pm on Wednesday, November 13, we received a report of a break-in and theft from a car on Parkgrove View, Edinburgh. Enquiries are ongoing.”