3:55pm Tuesday 26th February 2008
By Jonathan Moyes
THIEVES broke into a disabled woman's car and stole her blue badge while she was comforting her dying mother in hospital.
Lesley Robinson, 59, was visiting Phillippa Hall, 82, who suffered from emphysema and died of renal failure the next day at Whipps Cross University Hospital.
Mrs Robinson was with Mrs Hall, who lived in Walthamstow, and as the pair talked, a thief smashed the window of her silver Vauxhall Corsa and stole her blue disabled badge, which allows permit holders to park in priority places.
The blue badges can fetch as much as £50 on the black market.
She said a good samaritan saw the crime and managed to write down the criminal's car registration number, leaving a note on her car.
"I would love to get hold of the thieves who have taken my badge. I have had operations on my hips which make it really hard for me to get in and out of my car," said Mrs Robinson, who lives in Benfleet.
"I feel really inconvenienced without it because I am unable to show that I am disabled and have to park in normal car parking spaces."
She said she also had to pay £60 to replace the broken window.
A police spokeswoman said nobody has been arrested after the theft last Thursday around 9.30pm..
However, she said that a car with the same registration number as the thief's was involved in a petrol theft at a garage in Barnet.
A hospital spokeswoman said: "We are sorry that Mrs Robinson's car was broken into while on site.
"We cannot be held liable for break-ins in public areas, however all the trust's public car parks are covered by CCTV and footage will be supplied to the police, if requested as part of their investigation.
"Whipps Cross follows police guidance that means in the event of a car park crime, staff or visitors should contact the police direct as we are not permitted to do this on their behalf.
"However we would like to apologise to Mrs Robinson if this was not explained clearly and offer our condolences to her at this difficult time."
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