A CHURCH minister from the Three Towns is claiming she was harassed by police after her car was stolen.

The Rev Elizabeth Malaney claims she was forced to pay £160 to get her car back from police after it was stolen and later discovered near Oscars at Saltcoats Harbour.

She also alleges officers turned up at her door one morning demanding she provide them with DNA.

Ms Malaney, who lives in Dockers Gardens, Ardrossan, told the Herald she had been confronted by two officers, one male and one female, who, she claimed, "barged their way into my house”.

She has now made an official complaint to Police Scotland.

She told the Herald: “My car went missing on June 4. It was found a day later, parked at Oscars.

“Two office officers then came to visit me and took my keys.

"I was then told I had to pay £160 to get the car back from the garage.

“Then last Wednesday morning the male and female officer turned up and barged into my house, with a cotton bud to shove down my throat. 

"They said I needed to provide a swab because my car had been stolen.

“I was just in a daze. I told them that was not on.

"I told them to get out, and as they left, the male officer said ‘don’t report us for harassment'."

“My bichon frise Beau was beside himself. It was so, so scary for him

“I have no idea why I was forced to pay out to get my own stolen car back. And when I did it was filthy.

"They had used powder to search for fingerprints. I had to get it valeted.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 5.15pm on Wednesday, 12 June, 2024 we received a report of the theft of a vehicle from the Dockers Gardens area of Ardrossan.

"The vehicle was later traced nearby and enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances.

“A complaint has been received in relation to this investigation and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further."