'It was my lifeline, I feel helpless without it' - Thieves steal mobility scooter and car from Edinburgh NHS worker living with MS while she's self-isolating

Heartless criminals have stolen a car and a mobility scooter from the home address of a key worker living with multiple sclerosis.

Sarah Whyte, who was diagnosed with MS about 17 years ago, has been self-isolating with her family in her home in Warrender Park Road, Edinburgh, after her husband tested positive for coronavirus.

The 41-year-old, who works for the NHS, was horrified to find her car, which contained her vital mobility scooter, had been stolen from outside her front door while she was keeping safe indoors for two weeks with her ten-year-old son and husband.

"I am absolutely shocked,” Ms Whyte said, still sounding helpless following the heartless theft.

Sarah Whyte on her mobility scooter which has been stolen, along with her car, from outside her home address in Warrender Park Road, Edinburgh picture: supplied

"I feel like I’ve been stripped of my independence.

"The mobility scooter is like my legs for me, my lifeline, and I feel helpless without it. I have had MS for about 17 years now so my mobility is very restricted, I really can’t walk very far at all so I am heavily dependent on both the car and the scooter.”

Ms Whyte said her husband last saw the family’s vehicle on Wednesday, October 28 when he left the house for a brief moment to put her mobility scooter in the car.

When he next went outside on Saturday morning, the car was gone.

"We thought it had maybe been blocking someone’s way and the council might have moved it so we called around, but officers have actually listed it as a stolen vehicle,” she added.

"The mobility scooter inside is honestly a lifeline for me and I would really like to have it back.

"I need it for getting around, doing the shopping.

“I need it to do my work, and if I want to be part of the activities my son does like other mums I need the scooter to get to the sports pitches to watch him play or to go on days out with him and my husband.

“My two weeks of isolation are due to end this Wednesday, so I am really going to notice it not being here. It’s going to be pretty stressful.”

The key worker has since posted about her misfortune on social media where she has confirmed details about her invaluable items.

The car is a maroon Toyota RAV4, reg SK17 CSY which had a disabled parking blue badge in the window, and her mobility scooter is a TGA Buddy make with red ink markings on the batteries and the machine’s back support is loose.

"The whole thing has made my mind wonder,” Ms Whyte added, “you can’t help but think people have been watching your house, seeing that you haven’t been going outside that much and therefore using you as a target.”

A police spokeswoman said: "Officers in Edinburgh are investigating the theft of a vehicle from the Warrender Park Road area which was reported to have been stolen between Wednesday, 28 October, 2020 and Saturday, 31 October, 2020.

"Anyone who can assist officers in tracing the vehicle, or identify those responsible for its theft, should call Police Scotland on 101 and quote incident number 1372 of 31 October, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."

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