Pensioner, 68, denies keying locals' cars over parking row
I’m no Gangster Gran! Pensioner, 68, denies keying locals’ cars over parking row after notice goes up warning of ‘vigilante activity’
- Pauline Wallin, 68, said she was accused of keying cars along historic high street
- It prompted one local business to warn customers of ‘vigilante activity’
- She is alleged to have waged war on drivers who park without permits to access shops, cafes and the pub down Kenilworth High Street in Warwickshire
A pensioner has been branded a ‘gangster granny’ after accusations that she damaged vehicles in a well-heeled market town.
Pauline Wallin, 68, said she had been accused of keying cars along a historic high street – which prompted one local business to warn customers of ‘vigilante activity’ after it claims a £40,000 Audi was deliberately scratched, which she denies.
In a sign pinned to the window of its business in leafy Kenilworth, Warwickshire, a physiotherapy firm warned: ‘Please be aware – a local OAP is on a mission. Since late December 2021, not content with retiring gracefully, this gangster grannie [sic] has taken to harassing local employees both verbally and by email regarding parking on the high street.
‘Lately, she has taken her campaign one step further and now resorts to “keying” cars parked without permits, causing hundreds of pounds of damage.’
Mrs Wallin is alleged to have waged war on drivers who park without permits to access shops, cafes and the pub on the town’s historic high street.
Staff at the physiotherapy clinic told police that an Audi belonging to their manager was scratched in March, causing around £550 worth of damage.
Pauline Wallin, 68 (pictured), has been branded a ‘gangster granny’ after accusations that she damaged vehicles in the well-heeled market town of Kenilworth, Warwickshire
In a lengthy Facebook post, Mrs Wallin said she had been accused of being the ‘gangster granny’ – but denied any wrongdoing and said the nickname was ‘terribly hurtful’.
The retired journalist wrote: ‘Because I have had the audacity to make a fuss about business people abusing the two-hour parking slots over the past difficult years, I have been branded, by one illicit parker in particular, a gangster granny in a public notice.’
She described how police were called when one woman saw Mrs Wallin taking a picture of the sign with keys in her hand, and thought she was about to damage her car.
Mrs Wallin, who lives nearby with husband David, 77, said three ‘polite’ police officers arrived and spoke to her ‘as though I might be suffering from either a mental health issue or senile dementia’.
But Win Adibe, practice manager of Warwick Physio and Rehab, yesterday claimed she had seen Mrs Wallin scratch her Audi and alleged the pensioner targeted two other cars. She said: ‘We have had numerous problems with this lady because she objects to customers overstaying the two-hour limit. Not only has she damaged cars – causing £600 of damage to my vehicle – she has come into the business and hurled abuse at us and also sent abusive emails.’
Mrs Abide added no further cars were known to have been damaged since police became involved. She said: ‘The investigation is continuing, as far as I’m aware.’
Mrs Wallin is alleged to have waged war on drivers who park without permits to access shops, cafes and the pub on the town’s historic high street (Pictured, Warwick Physio Rehab)
Mrs Wallin denies deliberately damaging any cars by ‘keying’ them and also denies shouting abuse at physio staff.
‘I have lived here 16 years and my house has won a Kenilworth in Bloom award for best frontage.
‘On the occasion when I was taking a picture of the notice in the physio’s window I had my keys in my hand. I then opened my car door to get something and it’s possible some damage may have accidentally occurred, but I really don’t think it did.’
She added she had found the parking disputes ‘incredibly stressful’ and had now sold her own car ‘because I couldn’t get parked’.
Warwickshire Police said no arrests have been made.
Source: Read Full Article