Amputee's prosthetic legs stolen by moped gang in South West London

Police have launched an investigation after a woman's prosthetic legs were stolen by moped riders in south-west London.

Victoria Milligan, 45, lost her left leg below the knee in a speedboat accident in 2013 that killed her husband and eight-year-old daughter.

On 26 November, her car was broken into in Fulham. It is believed that two men on scooters smashed the car's passenger-side windows and stole two bags from the back seat - one containing three prosthetic legs and one a laptop.

Milligan was in a nearby restaurant at the time.

Inspector Darren Desa, of Hammersmith and Fulham police, said: "This is a heinous crime where heartless thieves have stolen the victim's personal property, including her prosthetic legs. This is extremely distressing for the victim.

"We would appeal for any witnesses or anyone with information to contact us as soon as possible.

"I would also appeal to anyone who knows where the prosthetic legs are to do the right thing and hand them in to police or inform police where they are. They are of no use to anyone but the victim."

Speaking to the Evening Standard, Milligan also urged the thieves to return the legs which had been specially made for her. They had no resale value, she said.

She added: "I'm so desperate to get them back. They cannot understand what importance they bring to my life.

"Even if the people who did this anonymously contacted someone to say where they put them. You would hope they felt awful when they opened the bag. It would be quite an odd thing to find.

"They are like works of art. My prosthetist and his team at the London Prosthetic Centre are geniuses, exactly matching my remaining leg down to the right skin tone and hand-painted freckles."

Police said no arrests have been made. Enquiries continue.