In the front line of the UK’s coronavirus emergency, they were targeted by gangsters who smashed their cars while treating the sick.
Dr. Alec Watson was dragged out of his shift at King’s Cross Hospital, Dundee, after both his and his colleague’s vehicle windows were destroyed.
And after finishing an exhausting day at James Cook Hospital, Middlesbrough, nurse Holly Coates was shocked to discover her back window was also broken.
In this case, nothing is known to have been stolen, but the public has been warned to be bracing for a increase in crime as people use the time of crisis to engage in illegal activity.
Moreover, The pictures posted by Ms Coates on Facebook about her vandalized Mustang, showed a gaping hole in the window.
She further said that It is particularly disturbing at a time when both of us are going above and beyond and taking additional shifts after annual leave to come together to combat it vicious and life-threatening virus. To which she received a tremendous support.
On the same day at King’s Cross Hospital, Dr. Watson, who approaches people accused of developing coronavirus on the phone, was warned at 10.45am for damage to his Volvo. However, he noticed his front passenger window completely caved in and scattered glass fragments throughout the car parking of the hospital.
In a statement he said that, At the moment we are incredibly busy with coronavirus and that’s the last thing we need and now while the car is being repaired i’ll have to take the taxi to reach my workplace.
Shortly after 10.30am police arrived at the hospital after receiving numerous complaints of damage to the cars.
One witness mentioned how he had seen a man behaving suspiciously on a bike in the area at the time of the accident.
Britain’s NHS is collapsing under the pressure of coronavirus outbreaks, with Boris Johnson warning that it risks people to be’ overwhelmed’ by flouting social distancing laws and helping to intensify the virus outbreak.
Today, the public was informed to be alert about increasing street gang activity, which may also raise the burden on the health service.
Richard Walton, former director of counter-terrorism at Scotland Yard, said:’ The danger of rising gang crime in the coming months is that particular grappling frequently requires urgent care.
He also mentioned that, Hospitals must be spared this extra strain on their resources as they face the coronavirus pandemic’s peak.’