Bay of Plenty district nurses have been stung by car thieves for the second time in weeks, with the losses threatening to disrupt services for the most vulnerable sick people in the region.

The work cars, branded with public health signage, were used by a team of community district nurses based at the hospital who drive to patients' homes to care for them.

A member of the Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty, a community health team of district nurses, occupational therapists, physios, social workers, speech-language therapists, dieticians and health assistants appealed to the public on a local community page, saying that three of their work cars had been stolen on Wednesday night.

'On Sunday night two of our cars were smashed into again and attempted to be stolen. They have been sent off for repair. Thieves returned again last night and stole three of the cars. One of which was ditched on the road as it had obviously run over all the broken glass and popped a tyre.”

The worker says the cars are clearly marked hospital cars that are used to help the community.

The team treats high need people who cannot access the hospital or who have been recently discharged.

'I'm just so disheartened to see that people would do this repeatedly to obviously marked hospital cars that are here for our community. Think of your grandma or grandpa, or whānau member or friend that is palliative at home, or recovering from illness or surgery, and needing our service next time you're wondering if hospital cars are a good idea to steal.”

Last month Stuff reported that thieves had targeted nurses' cars in Tauranga Hospital car park, making off with three branded work vehicles and damaging six others.

This week, the team were in shock that it had happened again and fear this could mean delays in their visits.

'We still haven't got back all the cars from the last round of thieving…what you have done again has the potential to severely disrupt our services.”

The team member also appealed to any person who knew who was involved to contact police.

Bay of Plenty locals empathised with the health workers, with people responding to the worker's appeal.

'Ironically, if the wrong/right person catches them they are going to need medical attention. Disgusting,” said one.

Others expressed the concern about an increase in car thefts across the region saying it is a regular occurrence, like the ‘wild west' at night.

Stuff has contacted Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty for comment about potential disruption to services.

-Stuff/Annemarie Quill.