Thieves stole car as disabled woman watched

Heartless thieves targeted a young disabled mother who watched helplessly as they stole her car.

Multiple sclerosis patient Eilis McSeain, 29, and her 3-year-old son, Darragh, were only metres away when the thieves jumped into her car and sped off.

She said she is desperate to get the car back because she has lost her independence without it.

The Cavan native said she cannot believe the two thieves abandoned her on the side of the road despite seeing her walking frame in the car.

“They obviously saw it was a disabled person’s car and that I couldn’t run at them or stop them. They saw an easy target. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe it was happening and my son Darragh began crying.

“They saw me hobbling towards the car on my two crutches and with Darragh. We were the only ones in the playground. They had to know it was my car, I’ve no doubt.

“Sure my walking frame was in the back, there is a disabled sign on the car and there is a child seat for my son. They knew it was a person with a disability who had a car and a child.

“Just looking at me you’d know I couldn’t walk very far so they were leaving me abandoned with my son. I think it’s somebody without a heart or a conscience”.

The thieves took the blue Toyota Yaris, registration 12 CN 899, on the afternoon of Apr 5 and Eilis’ hopes that it will be retrieved are fading.

“I had being visiting my partner’s family in Killeshandra, which is about ten miles [16km] from Cavan town and I pulled up at the Killeshandra playground.

“When I pulled up Darragh jumped out so I had to park in a hurry and go after him. As a result I left the keys inside the car.

“I was actually making my way back to the car with Darragh to put a coat on him when I saw one woman jumping into the passenger side of the car.

“I was only a yard or two away. It was very quick. They spun the car around and took off.”

Eilis’ handbag and prescriptions were also in the car.

Her MS has left her left side weaker than the other and she doesn’t have any use of her left foot so she can’t drive a normal manual shift car.

“I can’t walk any distance without the car I can’t even go down to the shop. The car was my life line. I’m very angry and I’ve being crying rivers since,” she said.

Her message to the thieves is: “Please give me my car back because my whole independence and my son’s independence is gone without it. They’ve left us grounded”.

Gardaí in Killeshandra have asked the public to report any information to them on 049 4334302.