Warning as '˜Corsa cannibals' come to Chesterfield

A woman whose car was ripped apart by thieves for parts has urged people who own Vauxhall Corsas to be careful about where they park.
Sophie Fletcher's Vauxhall Corsa was ripped apart by thieves.Sophie Fletcher's Vauxhall Corsa was ripped apart by thieves.
Sophie Fletcher's Vauxhall Corsa was ripped apart by thieves.

Sophie Fletcher, 20, who works at Specsavers in Chesterfield, left her car in the Spa Lane car park at the bottom of Hollis Lane on Thursday November 17.

When she returned from work, she found the 2015 limited edition hatchback’s window smashed and its front end completely removed.

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Sophie now thinks she has become one of the latest victims of a group of criminals who have become known as the ‘Corsa Cannibals’.

Sophie Fletcher's Vauxhall Corsa was ripped apart by thieves.Sophie Fletcher's Vauxhall Corsa was ripped apart by thieves.
Sophie Fletcher's Vauxhall Corsa was ripped apart by thieves.

She said: “I was so close to getting into it when I saw the window had been smashed but when I saw the front I was lost for words.

“The bonnet was gone, the bumper, the grill and the lights too.”

“I had heard about Corsas being targeted by people for spares but I just never thought it would happen to me.”

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Sophie has since heard that she is not the first person that this has happened to in that area of the town.

Sophie Fletcher's Vauxhall Corsa was ripped apart by thieves.Sophie Fletcher's Vauxhall Corsa was ripped apart by thieves.
Sophie Fletcher's Vauxhall Corsa was ripped apart by thieves.

It was reported on Facebook that two weeks beforehand, the exact same thing had happened to another woman in the same car park.

And just two days after she was targeted, the same thing is believed to have happened to another Corsa owner on nearby Wain Avenue.

“They are doing it to order - they knew exactly what they wanted,” says Sophie.

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“It has cost me my excess which was £620. Not exactly what you want at this time of year.”

Sophie Fletcher's Vauxhall Corsa was ripped apart by thieves.Sophie Fletcher's Vauxhall Corsa was ripped apart by thieves.
Sophie Fletcher's Vauxhall Corsa was ripped apart by thieves.

The Derbyshire Times has reported on similar incidents involving Corsas being ‘cannibalised’ in Bakewell and Castelton in recent months.

A spokesperson from Derbyshire Police confirmed they were investigating but said that the incidents were not being linked.