A PENSIONER has been left shocked after CCTV cameras captured a gang lowering a child through the sunroof of her car.

Gloria Thorpe, 73, of Orwell Road, Dovercourt, said the hapless crooks caused so much damage trying to get into her Citroen Saxo that it is now an insurance write-off.

Mrs Thorpe and her husband Kenneth, 86, both suffer from arthritis and say the thieves have robbed them of their freedom.

Mrs Thorpe said: “I’m very upset about it.

“They caused so much damage that the car is a write off – the insurance company won’t repair it.

“The CCTV shows there were two young girls about 16, a chap who was about 18 and two seven-year-olds.

“They tried to jemmy the driver’s side door and then jemmied the skylight.

“The seven year old got into the car through the roof and unlocked it.

“All they took was my husband’s emergency nylon raincoat and an empty Sainsbury’s shopping bag.

“There wasn’t anything of real value taken and they didn’t touch the radio.

“My husband’s disability scooter was in there and they must have tried to get it out, but were unsuccessful.

“The chair was moved and now the back door won’t shut due to more damage.

“I suffer from arthritis so my car is my freedom, but now I can’t use it “I can’t lock the car up and the roof is open.”

The CCTV shows the crooks spent eight minutes trying to break into the parked car.

Police are reviewing the images and forensic detectives are also investigating the incident.

Chief Insp Russ Cole, district commander, said: "For me it's very worrying to see the ages involved.

"Parents have to take some real responsibility - rather than just pushing kids out of the house on a Saturday morning.

"We will be speaking to local schools and we will be looking to identify them."

Witnesses or anyone with information about the break-in, which happened at about 3.25pm on Saturday, should contact Essex Police on 101.