Edinburgh woman 'in tears' after waking to make heartbreaking discovery

Tillie was gutted by the discovery
-Credit: (Image: Supplied)


An Edinburgh woman was heartbroken after waking to find her "dream car" had been smashed overnight.

Tillie went to get in her car on Monday and found the Volvo had been "severely damaged". She found broken glass and parts of the vehicle scattered across Lasswade Road, with windows completely destroyed.

After speaking to neighbours and checking CCTV, the woman believes the Volvo was hit by a white van at around 6am with the driver fleeing the scene. She has since been told by mechanics that the cost of repairs to her vehicle will be more than its value.

READ MORE - Young woman's unlikely friendship with Edinburgh man, 98, goes viral on social media

READ MORE - Comedian Janey Godley cancels Edinburgh tour as she gives heartbreaking update

Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Tillie said: "I was heartbroken to find that my car, a beloved classic Volvo V70, was severely damaged.

"I had intended to drive to my Tai Chi class at around 10am, but when I approached the car I noticed broken glass and car parts scattered across the road. My driver's side mirror was hanging loose and my rear window destroyed."

The car was in "very good condition" with low mileage. She continued: "We later identified as a white Volkswagen van, possibly a Transporter.

Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox

"The rear window was shattered, the right rear light cluster destroyed, and there was significant damage to the bodywork, (the bodywork was folded to the front) bumper, and right-side mirror. There are scratched and dents all along the side."

She said after discovering the incident, she got her husband from the house and was "in tears". They later brought the vehicle to a mechanic, who told them that the cost of repairs would exceed the car's value.

She continued: "We only had the car for one year and actually still pay it off, plus it was my dream car.

Tillie was told repairs will cost more than the cars value
Tillie was told repairs will cost more than the cars value -Credit:Supplied

"I grew up with Volvo V70s, that’s the brand my father drove and I was so happy to purchase one myself), so we intend to get it at least road safe. Unfortunately we can’t afford to get it fixed to its original beauty.

"After discovering the damage, we spoke with nearby construction workers, and one of them (the site manager) mentioned witnessing the incident around 6am. He said he saw a white van, driving northbound, collided with my car, briefly stopping and then driving off."

While clearing the road of debris, Tillie and her husband claim to have found a part of a van's bumper which had a VW logo.

Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages

She added: "In the evening we walked around the road and checked which houses might have CCTV and asked people for help.

"One person, that lives a mile further down south, however, provided a screenshot of a white VW Transporter captured on their camera driving north on Lasswade Road at around 5.55am, which aligns with the timing of the crash."

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 10.40am on Monday, 16 September 2024, we received a report of a crash involving two vehicles in the Lasswade Road area of Edinburgh. Enquiries are ongoing.”