Woman loses claim for stolen 4x4 over key left in vehicle

A Co Galway mother-of-five, described by a judge as reckless for leaving a key to her luxury Toyota Landcruiser in her handbag in the back of her 4x4, has lost a €35,000 claim against Axa Insurance which refused to cover her after the high-end vehicle was stolen.

Breege McGath of Polkeen, Castlegar, Co Galway, told the Circuit Civil Court that her Landcruiser was stolen from the back of her home only days before Christmas 2011.

She said that although she believed she had locked the vehicle she had left her handbag containing the key and her passport and credit cards in the back seat on top of clothes for the cleaners. “Our house is behind locked electronic gates and that night I had just come in from training. It was a freezing cold night and I hurried to get into the house.”