Sisters hailed as heroes after taking stolen car back from thieves

Two have-a-go hero sisters who seized back their disabled dad's car after it was stolen from his home were today saluted by neighbours of the thieves.

Amanda Pennington and younger sibling Emma Leyland took the initiative after hearing where the vehicle was from a contact and were able to retrieve it from right under the noses of the burglars’ accomplices.

Today a resident of the Platt Bridge estate where the Audi A2 was found said “cocky” youths were responsible for an ongoing crime spree involving primarily taking vehicles without consent and theft. And she was delighted that 43-year-old Spring View single mum Amanda and Emma had showed “real mettle” in challenging them.

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She said: “If we had a few more like these ladies we would have a lot less problems around here.”

Just over 24 hours earlier, former local motorbike dealer Tony Grundy, 70, had been shocked to discover his Audi had been stolen by sneak thieves from off the drive of his home in Hindley Green.

Tony, who was seriously injured in a superbike spill, admits to leaving his front door open in case anybody from his wide circle of biker friends should call. He was in a room at the rear when the thieves entered to remove the car keys and make off with the prized vehicle.

Amanda, who is currently fighting a re-occurence of benign tumors, said: “By the time the police came out to my Dad to investigate three days later, we had already got the car back and it was parked up on his drive.

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“There are a team of them on the estate and they have been stealing cars for about six months and something needs doing about it. I have a family member on that estate so I know a lot of people on it and when it was stolen and the word came back that it was in Platt Bridge I had my suspicions where it would be.

“It was like a scene from Cagney and Lacey, we jumped into the Transit and shot straight over there.

“These boys are 18 or 19 years old and they are taking these cars to commit burglaries and it is just not on. They are deliberately targeting old people and when they picked on our Dad, who is registered disabled, they picked on the wrong family.

“They entered his house in broad daylight and had a 20-minute gap to take the car between 3.30pm and ten to four, after my mum had left to pick the grandchildren up. My dad was at home in the living room and because he still thinks it’s 1970 he never locks the door ever in case friends come around. So they have walked in, grabbed the keys from the hall and taken the car.

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“But he promises me he won’t be leaving the door unlocked again. My dad is old school and doesn’t scare easily but it has rattled him a bit for sure. They have lost a son in a tragic motorbike accident and can do without things like this. I am waiting to go in for a big operation myself, I have been poorly for 18 months, but you can’t let them just get away with it, can you?”