![\"Colm](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_WhatsApp-Image-2025-12-23-at-161455.jpg\")
Colm and Emma with kids Brad\u00e1n, Br\u00ed and L\u00fagh<\/p>\nThe Crowleys had to cancel a family visit and a panto trip<\/p>\n
16:31, 23 Dec 2025Updated 19:35, 23 Dec 2025<\/p>\n
Colm and Emma with kids Brad\u00e1n, Br\u00ed and L\u00fagh<\/p>\n
A Cork mum says she ‘feels sorry’ for the thieves who stole her family’s car on Christmas <\/a>week after crooks targeted her housing estate last night.<\/p>\n Emma Crowley from Bellevue in Frankfield woke this morning to find their car – which was filled with her kids’ coats, three car seats and flowers for a grave – had vanished from outside their home. It couldn’t have come at a worse time, as she was just heading out to take one of her three children to a speech and language assessment, and the family had a trip planned to visit relatives in Limerick <\/a>today.<\/p>\n Emma and her husband Colm had also booked panto tickets for this afternoon – but have had to call it off and break the news to their four-year-old twins Brad\u00e1n and Br\u00ed (4) and youngest boy L\u00fagh (3). Garda\u00ed <\/a>have confirmed they are investigating the theft, and called around to homes in Bellevue this morning in hopes of finding CCTV or door camera footage of the incident.<\/p>\n The family have a spare car available, which is on loan from a repair garage that is currently servicing Colm’s van. Without any car seats however, they can’t bring their kids anywhere in it for the time being. This vehicle was parked right next to the car that was stolen – and it’s believed the crooks tried to access it but were unable to. Another resident in the area also believes their car was rummaged through last night.<\/p>\n Speaking to Cork Beo, Emma said that the belongings in their family car were found today by an old friend after they were thrown in a ditch, which she said was “just so disrespectful.”<\/p>\n She added: “We have the three car seats back, but they’re all broken. We were supposed to be going to the panto in Limerick, we have family up there and they have our turkey and ham. Thankfully, this Christmas we were planning on staying local anyways, with my mother who lives just down the road in Douglas.<\/p>\n “I didn’t think I left my car open at all, but now looking back I obviously can’t say for sure. I was upset initially, and the kids’ coats, car seats and the flower arrangement were just thrown out of the car into a ditch. You’d be a bit angry about it, but at the end of the day, everyone is safe. It also could be a lot worse. You’d have to think about what’s happening for those people spending their Christmas week out stealing and looking through cars.”<\/p>\n Since the theft, the Crowleys have gotten plenty of car seat offers from kind-hearted locals, so they won’t be stuck at home over the festive season. Emma has shared a photo of the stolen car online, and is urging anyone who sees the vehicle to contact the Togher Garda station on 21 494 7120. The vehicle is a Silver Ford C-Max, REG 142C 7035. This incident comes following a rise in reported car thefts and prowlers seen lurking around Cork city housing estates<\/a> in the run-up to Christmas.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, several images caught and shared in the Ballyvolane area <\/a>showed young men trying cars, front doors and back gardens. It’s the season when expensive presents might be boxed up in car boots or sheds, and anybody who lets their guard down could see their Christmas ruined by thieves looking for an opportunity. In late November, Cork Beo also spoke to another woman who had her car stolen in the dead of night.<\/a><\/p>\n Ann, who works in retail, said that she can’t afford to start over and that she relies on the car to get herself to and from work and for running many of the weekly errands needed to keep the household going. She added that more people need to be aware of the number of car thefts being carried out across Cork city and that she’s disgusted by the videos shared on social media showing people joyriding<\/a> in stolen cars and laughing as they flee from Garda\u00ed.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/601946502_10236845704381127_1426714004902380369_n.jpg\")
The Crowley family’s stolen car<\/p>\n