NEWS FEED
Heartless thieves deny MS sufferers access to the Osborne Centre
The theft of a catalytic converter from a charity’s specially adapted vehicle used for transporting multiple sclerosis sufferers to their day centre has been called “a despicable and cruel act.”
Rod Slip, the chairman of the local branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society has called the theft of a catalytic converter from one of the charity’s specially adapted vehicles from their base in West Parley, “a despicable and cruel act” after the vehicle was rendered inoperable. The theft denied members of the society, who relied on the vehicle, their usual visit to the centre last Thursday.
The charity will also have to raise funds to pay the excess on the insurance to replace the catalytic converter and get the vehicle back in service.
Two men were recorded on the premises of the Osborne Centre on 26 July at around 10.15pm.
The centre is the base for the local branch of the MS Society, a charity dependent on the generosity and goodwill of local people for its objective in supporting those with MS and their families. It receives no external funding.
Rod Slip, added, “We have a number of adapted vehicles garaged at the centre to transport people within an 11 mile radius to enable them to use our valuable services in order to assist them in living with an incurable and debilitating condition.
“These two men came under the cover of darkness to vandalise one of our vehicles by removing its catalytic converter from the exhaust system which rendered the vehicle inoperable thereby denying some of our members access to the centre on Thursday.
“This incident has caused a lot of distress to people who have enough problems in their lives. Perhaps these two thieves would like to steal our members’ MS as well.”
He said he found it unbelievable that anyone would want to steal from a charity.
