A Dublin woman whose intellectually disabled aunt had her prize possessions stolen by heartless muggers has made an emotional appeal for the return of the stolen items.
Michelle Cummins' aunt Sinead was returning to Chapelizod from her weekly outing to Dublin Zoo on Wednesday afternoon when she was stopped by three men in a car asking for directions to the Lucan Spa Hotel.
One of the men then jumped out of the car and stole Sinead's handbag which only contained several personal mementos in it such as family photos and teddy bears.
Michelle told Joe Duffy on RTE's Liveline that the ordeal was a "traumatic event" for her beloved aunt, who hasn't been able to return to work since it happened.
She said: "Her carer was thinking that the car had passed them twice so I think they were preying on them and watching them walk up.
"Sinead is very obsessive about her belongings. She always carries a bag around with all of her most prized possessions like her photographs of her family, teddy bears and little things like that.
"Just things that she loves so much."
Sinead has a moderate intellectual disability and had only recently recovered from a mental breakdown.
"Wednesday was actually her first day back in work," said Michelle.
"Her staff have been tremendous and all the doctors that deal with her and it's just so upsetting to think that this is after setting her back again now. She won't go to work now."
She added that it would have been apparent that Sinead has a disability.
"They could see she had a disability and to this and prey on the vulnerable is just sickening."
Sinead was left crying and extremely upset by the mugging.
Michelle appealed to the public for help finding Sinead's bag, a black handbag with two handles.
The bag had photos, teddy bears, perfume and makeup in it as well as a purse with Sinead's name on it.
