Elderly people at an Inverness care home have been left without transport after a “mindlessly cruel” vandal targeted their only vehicle.
The Kia Sedona people carrier belonging to Elmgrove House Care Home had three tyres punctured with what was believed to be a screwdriver while parked at Wester Inshes Place.
The home’s manager, Melony Savage-Lowden, said yesterday that the incident had left the facility unable to provide transport for its 27 residents.
She said: “It was parked at my son’s front door. I was there most of the day on Sunday and it was fine.
“I picked my son up to go to work on Tuesday morning and everything looked fine but come 4pm Tuesday afternoon it wasn’t.
“They have hammered a star screwdriver through the shoulder of three tyres of the car. From a cost point of view, it will cost £150 to £200 per tyre to repair.”
The Kia Sedona model was purchased by the home as an alternative to using public transport and taxis when attending NHS appointments.
With no other transport available, the incident has left the home and its 27 disabled residents stranded.
Ms Savage-Lowden said: “We got the car so that we have it for the likes of dental and hospital appointments.
“Some residents can’t walk that far so we got the car on the premise we can take them.
“We can’t do that at the moment. We would have to get wheelchair adapted taxis and it costs us about £7.50 per taxi each way to and from Elmgrove to either RNI Community Hospital or to town and sometimes we can’t even get one.”
She added: “I think that anybody that would attack a wheelchair accessible car is a very sad individual. I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.
“They could blatantly see it was used for disabled people. Mindlessly cruel.”
