A disabled Edinburgh woman who had her car broken into says she no longer feels safe in her community.
Diane Blackwood says her neighbour alerted her to the incident on Tuesday night, telling her the car which was parked on Caledonian Crescent had its windows smashed. Diane, who is disabled and needs her car to get around, says she now feels ‘stuck’.
She discovered the thief had taken her blue badge - a crime which increased sixfold in the UK in the past few years. Thieves sell on the parking permit, which is then misused by those who don’t need it.
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Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Diane said: “I only found out what had happened when a neighbour tapped my window to let me know.
“He was apparently chased into a stairwell, where I’ve since found out is apparently where he lives and is well known to the police. The item he stole was my blue badge.
“I’ve lived in the area for nearly 40 years, and I no longer feel a sense of safety and security here.”
According to the Department for Transport, 1,497 blue badgers were stolen in the UK last year. The website MotaClarity recommends purchasing a blue badge protector, only leaving the badge in the vehicle when it's in use, or hiding it from view - which can prove difficult when hoping to avoid a ticket.
Diane continued: “I hate feeling vulnerable in my own community now.
“It’s also just a huge inconvenience to me, I’m now stuck in my house. The person obviously has issues, and for that I’m sad.
“Unfortunately, the last thing going through their head was the consequences. It’s a huge problem here now.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 8.20pm on Tuesday, 2 May, 2023, officers received a report of a break-in to and theft from a car on Caledonian Crescent, Edinburgh.
“Enquiries are ongoing.”
You can find advice on keeping your blue badge safe here.
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