Third year’s car miraculously turns up more than a year after it was stolen

When a Leeds finalist’s car was stolen 18 months ago, she thought it was gone for good.

But now over a year later, History of Art student Milla Jupp discovered her Volkswagan Beetle had been found – and it was just 10 minutes from her house.

The car was stolen from her house on Ash Grove in late 2014 after the keys were taken through the letterbox.

Milla said: “It is almost comical how they took it. They put a two metre long bamboo stick with a makeshift hook on the end of it through my letterbox and hooked my keys from the table. It’s ridiculous – the table was quite far from the door.”

Milla had been given her beloved Beetle – nicknamed Ivy – for her 17th birthday.

She said: “First of all I was wondering how I was going to tell my parents who told me not to bring it with me to uni. Then I was annoyed that I had clothes in the car I knew I wouldn’t get back. It was very sad when it went missing.”

But now, 18 months later, the police told Milla that her car has been found abandoned in a field just 10 minutes from her home. Police said it was likely used as a getaway car for other burglaries.

Milla said: “I don’t know how I feel about getting it back. It’s very strange as I don’t know what went on in the car when it was gone. It’s kind of creepy knowing that people I don’t know were in it robbing people’s houses.”

Asked what she’d say to the car thieves Milla added: “They’re arseholes and it was utterly pointless. The whole thing has caused me so much paperwork and grief, just to dump it a few weeks later.”

Milla and a friend in the car