For Susan Hutchinson, her mobility scooter was a source of freedom and independence.
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"It's the only way I can get out into the community, and it's really important to me," Ms Hutchinson said.
The Lyneham resident has myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, making walking even short distances almost unbearable.
The mobility scooter allowed her carry out tasks like travelling to the shops and university, she said. That freedom was taken away on Friday, after her scooter was damaged by vandals, leaving it inoperable.
The scooter's wheels and seat were slashed with a knife and a garden fork just after 11.30pm on Friday. A knife was jammed into the scooter's ignition so many times it was unable to start, with the handlebars also bent out of place.
Ms Hutchinson was devastated by the discovery.
"I just cried when I first saw it," she said. "It just broke my heart because I've been fighting so hard and fighting this condition and living with it is very difficult.
"I don't have the capacity to use a walker or push a wheelchair to get places, and this is the only way I'm able to get around."
Ms Hutchinson had only been using the scooter for a couple of months, after her previous scooter was damaged after it was hit by a van while she was crossing Northbourne Avenue last year.
A replacement scooter, worth almost $7000 was then crowdfunded for Ms Hutchinson through friends and support networks.
"That really meant a lot to me that the community came forward at my time of greatest need," Ms Hutchinson said.
Other vehicles in the complex where Ms Hutchinson lives were also vandalised on Friday night's incident. The tyres of multiple cars were slashed.
Ms Hutchinson reported the incident to police, but a lack of security footage at the complex has left the police with little information.
She is hoping someone ill to come forward with information about the incident.
"This equipment meant a deal to my quality of life, and the cost to repair it isn't a small amount of money," she said.