Heartbroken Hassocks pet centre owner reacts to stolen vehicle discovery

Steve Edgington, 66, who owns Hassocks Pet Centre in Keymer Road, hoped he would find his beloved 4x4 he used to rescue animals – but this hope was shattered when he received a call from the police on Tuesday (January 15).

He said: “I had a call from the police to say they had recovered my vehicle in Brighton – it was apparently involved in a police incident, and it has been written off.

“It is such a shame – it is devastating, there is always that hope when something has been stolen or you have lost something – that you are going to get it back in one piece.

“I had an email from a young lad on Facebook last week, who said he had seen it in the area, so this was promising. It is just so sad that it had to end like this really.”

Steve paid thanks to people in the community who rallied to help him find the vehicle.

“People have been really lovely,” he said, adding: “It really has been very emotional.”

He said he his vehicle was now at Woodbourne Service Station in Shoreham, which recovers vehicles: “I would like to go and say goodbye to her and it will be upsetting to see her in that condition, she didn’t deserve it.

“I always kept her nice – she was beautiful, she had just passed her MOT – it is heartbreaking that it has ended like this.

“My car wasn’t stolen by professionals, she was stolen by louts who just wanted to use her as a run around.

“They didn’t even want to take off the wheel cover. I am hoping to recover this, which has the picture of a fox.”

Sussex Police confirmed today that the vehicle had been involved in a police pursuit in Hove.

Read our story here: Stolen Hassocks pet centre vehicle involved in police pursuit in Hove