Helen Ellis thought the insurance payments for her 2016 Peugeot were automatically taken out of her bank account, like her home and contents insurance.

The car was taken from her Jarrah Court garage as she slept early Thursday morning and torched about 6.30pm.

Her daughter’s wedding dress was also in the boot, awaiting dry cleaning so it could be given to her granddaughters.

Ms Ellis has discovered payments for the car were not taken out through direct debit, leaving the gutted vehicle uninsured.

“You should see it,” she said on Friday.

“It’s completely destroyed.

“There’s nothing left in there at all.”

The car, worth about $25,000 when Ms Ellis bought it a year ago, was set alight underneath the Fallon Street bridge.

Police had appealed for help to track down the car before it was set alight, and had urged people not to approach anyone seen in or near the vehicle. 

The thieves sneaked into her house by jumping a side fence and entering an unlocked side door.

They took car and garage keys, opened up the roller door and fled without waking the two occupants.

Ms Ellis did not sleep well on Thursday night thinking about the offenders being inside her home.

“I’m locking the back side door whenever I leave now,” she said.

“I’ve always locked the front door and usually lock the side door, but sometimes you forget.

“I won’t forget again.”

Vehicles have also been torched on the Hume Highway Melrose Drive off ramp and in a concrete drain near Boomerang Drive this week.

Police don’t believe the two Albury incidents are linked but are investigating.

Ms Ellis’ car was taken to the wreckers with little that could be salvaged. 

“It’s not only just me,” she said.  

“There’s a shed full of stolen car at the wreckers at the moment.

“It’s a big problem I think in Albury.”

The pensioner is hopeful her home and contents insurance will cover the vehicle. 

Anyone with information about any of the incidents can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.