The Western Local Health District is aware of cars being damaged in attacks and has increased patrols, according to a spokesperson.

Registered Nurse Christine Baker had three windows on her car smashed while she was working the evening shift at Dubbo Hospital on Monday.

“I was at work and my husband got a call from the police to say the car had been broken into,” Ms Baker said.

“They had smashed the rear window and the drivers and passengers side windows and ransacked the car.

“There was nothing of value in there. They took the log book, it was in a leather cover and must have thought it had something valuable in it but my husband found it nearby under a tree.”

Ms Baker’s car was attacked around 6.30-7pm and she was told three others had also been damaged.

“That wasn’t even night shift, this was during evening shift,” she said.

“Staff on the evening shift start at 1.30pm so when they arrive, there generally aren’t parks available in the main car park and we have to park elsewhere.”

Registered midwife nurse Ailsa Wakefield’s car was damaged 18 months ago while in the hospital car park and she said incidents weren’t isolated.

“My car was broken into while I was on night shift. I got in it in the morning and realised someone had been in there because they had moved everything about.

“They had damaged the lock on the passenger’s side door to get in.

The Western LHD spokesperson said security patrols had been increased in response to the problems.

“There have always been regular patrols but the hospital has provided additional security to deal with the issue,” the spokesperson said. “It is troubling that criminals have chosen to target people who, it is reasonable to assume, are doing good service for the community [staff] or going through a difficult time [patients].”

Orana Local Area Command Duty Officer Dan Skelly said police perform regular patrols of hospital car parks and warned thieves and vandals they will be caught.

“Police do random patrols at night in marked and unmarked cars and security patrol the area at all times of the day so it is only a matter of time before they are caught,” Inspector Skelly said.

“It’s disgusting to think people are choosing to break into cars near the hospital. It’s a low act.”