My grandparents’ Smart Car was stolen and all they left was the dashboard

Parking on campus is expensive but leaving your car in Stanmer Park is free. 

Josh de Wit thought he had figured out a crafty way of safely leaving his grandparents’ motor near uni and avoiding paying any parking charges.

So imagine Josh’s horror when his beloved Smart car was stolen.

Worse yet, thieves taunted him by leaving just the dashboard, centre console, and the rear window locking mechanism.

Josh’s car the way he left it

A distraught Josh said: “I left my car at Stamner Park, it’s a nice quiet spot and I thought it would be OK. I didn’t want to pay the campus fees. I wish I had now.

“I parked on Wednesday and went to pick my motor up on Saturday but I couldn’t see it.

“I really thought I had gone mad until I saw bits and pieces of my car and some broken glass where I left it.

“I guess whoever stole my Smart car tried to hot-wire it and dumped the dashboard, console, and rear window.

“I had some good times in that car. My grandparents gave it to me last year and they had it for seven years. I don’t know what to say really.”

Josh’s car the way he found it

Josh, 19, had barely been at uni for a month when his car was stolen.

The fresher, who studies Mechanical Engineering, is torn between missing his grandparents’ car and glad it’s gone.

Poor Josh with his broken car parts and dreams

He said: “To be honest, everyone took the piss out of my car. I never shed a tear but I did ask why anyone would do such a thing. The car’s not even worth that much.

“My car is probably either in bits now or burned up somewhere in the country. Skeletal remains of cars often turn up in this area so that’s probably what’s happened.

“This was such a senseless crime.”

Josh’s grandparents gave him these car parts along with the rest of a car that is now stolen

Worst for Josh, he has lost his no-claims discount so he now has to put a claim through for a new car.

He recommends coughing up the £200 for a year’s worth of campus parking.

Josh added: “I feel like this car was a bad girlfriend. I’m sad to see her go but if she came back I wouldn’t want her again.”