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Junior doctor left unable to treat coronavirus patients after thugs smash up his car

Dr Abdul Farooq discovered his car has been smashed up as he was about to go to work. (Justgiving)
Dr Abdul Farooq discovered his car has been smashed up as he was about to go to work. (Justgiving)

A junior doctor has been left unable to reach his critically ill patients – including some suffering from coronavirus – after thugs smashed up his car.

Dr Abdul Farooq, who works at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, was left devastated when he found his Ford Fusion had been broken into, having had its windows smashed in by bricks.

The medic had left the car parked close to his home following a Friday night shift at the hospital.

The Ford Fusion had been parked close to Dr Abdul Farooq's home over the weekend. (JustGiving)
The Ford Fusion had been parked close to Dr Abdul Farooq's home over the weekend. (JustGiving)

It was only on Monday, having spent the weekend in lockdown, that he discovered the damage done to his car, forcing him to cancel his shift as he was unable to drive.

He told The Mirror: “When I saw the car, all I could think about was how I would get to work. If it happened any other day I would have just got it fixed but with everything that is going on with the coronavirus, I just kept thinking, I need to get to work.”

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Farooq is trying to organise a courtesy car in the meantime but a JustGiving page set up to fund a new car for the doctor has already doubled its target goal of £1,500.

He has now reported the incident to West Midland Police, but was told they “did not have the resources to conduct a CCTV trawl as this would not be proportionate”.

Dr Abdul Farooq parked his car following a night shift at the hospital. (JustGiving)
Dr Abdul Farooq parked his car following a night shift at the hospital. (JustGiving)

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said they received a report of a car having its windows smashed in Small Street, Caldmore, sometime between 5.30pm on 27 March and 7.30am on 30 March.

They added: “We’ve asked if there are any CCTV possibilities which could be shared with us to identify whoever was responsible.

“Any crime is unacceptable but the allocation of investigators to a scene is assessed on what is proportionate given the severity, vulnerability and likelihood of catching those involved.”

Anyone with information can get in touch via Live Chat, quoting crime reference number 20WS/79343K/20.

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