‘DESPICABLE’ thieves have targeted a community transport scheme in Ilminster, taking five buses out of service after vandalising and stripping them for parts.
Three Ilminster Community Transport vehicles and two Somerset County Council buses used to ferry elderly and disabled people are now out of commission after the attack at the weekend.
The vehicles were parked in a business car park between Ilminster and Sea, and had been targeted only the week before when light fittings were taken.
Last weekend, between 4pm on Friday and 8am on Monday, the thieves came back, smashing windows to gain access to the vehicles and removing the wheels from one of them.
Ilminster Community Transport co-ordinator Steve Mundy said: “We’re having to cancel all trips for people for the foreseeable future.
“We would take people to visit relatives in nursing homes and Chard After-Stroke Care Group this week.
“Every one of the buses is unusable until they’ve been repaired and checked by mechanics because we don’t know what else has been done to them.”
Chairman of trustees Edward Wells said: “These crimes are always disgraceful, but to do it to vehicles the sole purpose of which is to transport elderly and disabled people is despicable.”
A police spokesman said: “We’re currently investigating the incident and forensics teams have visited the scene.
“Anyone with information regarding the incident should contact police on 0845-4567000.”
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