File this story under `how low can you get?!` As if NHS workers on the frontline didn’t have enough to deal with, from low pay and long hours to limited resources, it seems their cars are no longer safe as well.
This comes with the news workers at a hospital in Dartford in Kent, in the South East of England, had their vehicles set upon by thieves, looking to steal their catalytic converters.
Reportedly, four NHS staff members were robbed while they were working in one day. They only discovered they had been victims of crime after finishing a long shift, caring for patients suffering from Covid-19, at the Darent Valley Hospital.
Made all the more difficult by the fact the hospital comes under the jurisdiction of the Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust; said to be one of the worse areas affected with coronavirus.
NHS workers, having clocked out for the day, would go to the hospital car park to find their vehicles had been damaged and the converters ripped out, at great expense and inconvenience to the owner.
Despite the hospital taking measures to watch over the parking lot and protect its worker’s vehicles. The Trust has brought in security teams, who make constant patrols, as well as installing the latest CCTV surveillance systems. The police have also been informed.
However, following the recent thefts, the NHS Trust have asked staff to keep their eyes open, and report anything suspicious. Be it someone loitering in the parking lot or hanging around their vehicles.
Motoring experts also recommend, if using a public car park, you do not find a space on your own, and park with other vehicles. It is also advised you park with the bonnet facing the wall. This could prevent thieves from stealing your catalytic converter, as it is found at the front of your car.
This is one of the ways you can outwit the criminals, trying to steal a vital piece of equipment from your car. You cannot help but wonder what kind of person would steal from an NHS worker, especially at a time like this.
However, the fact is, for some people, nothing is sacred. We still have to be vigilant and watch out for our vehicles, even when left in a hospital parking lot. It seems nowhere is safe these days from car thieves.
Source: Newsshopper.co.uk
