Carer has car stolen while helping elderly resident

A home carer had her car stolen while visiting an elderly andvulnerable patient in Cardiff.

Carrie-Ann Stead, 40, parked her car in the street while she helpeda colleague during a visit to a woman in Elm Street, on Friday evening.

She returned just 10 minutes later to find her silver Renault Captur missing.

Carrie-Ann, from Llanrumney, said she was giving a colleague a lift toa visit for an elderly patient when the incident happened.

She said, "We were in there for 10 minutes... I went to grab my handbag but I realised I left it in the car."

Carrie-Ann said the Renault has keyless locking and starting system. Thieves were able to enter the car while the key fob was in her handbag.

Carrie-Ann said the car had been modified to allow access for her disabled 70-year-old father.

He suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, angina, asthmaand is waiting for a heart operation. He's been staying in an isolatedbedroom in Carrie-Ann's house during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"If he had an attack or anything this weekend, I couldn't take him into hospital."

Carrie-Ann and her colleague had just completed a £60 shopping tripfor the elderly lady, which was also taken during the theft.

"I was gutted," she said.

A South Wales Police spokeswoman said Carrie-Ann's vehicle was recovered for forensic examination on Sunday evening.

It was discovered parked behind a block of flats in the Pengam Green area of Cardiff.

Carrie-Ann said the vehicle appears to be undamaged but she hasn'tbeen able to collect it yet.

A police spokeswoman said: "Witnesses have described four young malesstealing the car at around 7.20pm on April 3.

"There have been no arrests but enquiries are continuing and the carhas been recovered for forensic examination."

Police are asking anyone with information to contact 101 or Crimestoppersanonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting occurrence number *0112788.