‘Absolutely devastated’: Grafton business woman’s car stolen, torched

A Grafton business owner has a triple whammy of emotions as a car she had just paid off was stolen and torched. Then she realised it was not insured.

Petal and Spice’s Samara Kilner’s joy at paying off her loan on her first brand new car was short-lived when she woke to police knocking on her door at 3am on April 11 asking if she had lent the vehicle to someone.

When she replied that she hadn’t, police told her the Ford Ecosport had been stolen, involved in a crime spree, and set on fire.

“They said my car was involved in a pursuit, some assaults and a stabbing,” Ms Kilner said.

“I didn’t hear them trying to break in at all.”

In the morning she realised her partner’s car had been rummaged through as well.

In a further blow, Ms Kilner had forgotten to renew the insurance.

“I thought to myself only a couple of days before – I have to get onto that,” Ms Kilner said after a neighbour down the road had their car stolen and torched a couple of weeks earlier.

Up until the theft Ms Kilner said she and her family had always felt safe living in what she describes as a “good area” on Fitzroy Street, a no through road.

“We have quiet, nice, friendly neighbours and we’ve always felt safe and never had anyone snoop around,” she said.

The mother of three used the vehicle for transporting stock for her business and is now without a car as a result of the theft.

Ms Kilner has a gofund me page to assist her in purchasing a new vehicle.