Hospital patient has car completely stripped of parts while he has treatment for tonsilitis

A tonsillitis patient has told how he had his car stripped of its parts in broad daylight while he was in hospital receiving treatment.

Leigh Tyler, 26, had left home for a trip to hospital on Friday morning to get treatment for tonsilitis.

But when his parents returned home they were shocked to find his blue Vauxhall Corsa had been virtually dismantled.

Thieves had left the vehicle with almost its entire front missing after swiping the radiator, bonnet, electrical parts and lights.

Mr Tyler, from Luton, Beds., had to remain in hospital overnight and so wasn't able to see the damage to his car in person.

But he said he was 'shocked' when his family showed him the pictures - and even more surprised to discover recovery specialists were able to drive it away.

The customer services assistant said: 'The car is a write off now as you might expect but the recovery guys were able to just drive away in it.

'I think it is probably just people trying to find parts for their own cars rather than trying to sell it for scrap.

'When I saw the pictures that night I was just in shock, I had never seen anything like it before.

'By the time I had been discharged from hospital it had been taken away but the police are now talking about swiping for finger prints.'

His girlfriend called Bedfordshire Police who told her it was 'quite common' and she should contact the insurance company.

Mr Tyler said he is shocked at the attitude of police but revealed that despite the damage recovery specialists were able to drive the car away.

He said: 'I can't quite believe they didn't want to see the damage for themselves. Unbelievably, the tow company was able to drive my car away.

'My parents came to see me on Friday evening and said, 'we've got some bad news. Your car's been dismantled'.

'They'd got to my house at about 4.30pm that afternoon and a neighbour pointed it out to them.

'The front's gone, the air con, the radiator, the locking nuts, front bonnet, electrical parts, the headlights and goodness knows what else.'