Friday morning's car fire was no ordinary incident - a family will now struggle to get a sick child to and from medical appointments at the Royal Children's Hospital.
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Emergency services were called to the scene at Alkera Road at Invermay Park about 4.30am, finding the ute completely alight.
Police confirmed it was stolen, and the fire was suspicious - Crime Scene Services investigators were spotted on the scene not long afterwards.
The crime has left the ute's owners reeling.
Luke Dridan's 12-year-old son Blake has severe aplastic anaemia, a cancer with which the body fails to produce enough blood cells.
Previously, he's described the condition as "tormenting" his young son.
When his ute disappeared on Sunday morning, he feared the worst.
"They've finished with what they've wanted it for and set fire to it," he said, sounding devastated over the phone.
"To think people can do that sort of thing so close to home - you'd like to distance yourself from that sort of behaviour but it goes to show there's people that do that sort of stuff, and they don't think about the repercussions for the people they're doing it to."
Young Blake, who is at the Royal Children's Hospital for a check-up at the moment, has been helped by generous Ballarat locals since he was diagnosed in 2016.
He has previously undergone a bone marrow transplant, and had to spend months in hospital.
Since then, there's been more operations and monitoring, and the Dridan family has spent more time at the Royal Children's than most.
The incident will make life even harder for Blake and his 14-year-old sister.
"It just means we'll have to rely on other people for transportation, it means we'll need to use more public transport," Mr Dridan said.
"It hasn't been a great two years, and this just about tops it off to be honest.
"It shakes everyone up, it makes you stop and think where you take some things for granted that maybe you shouldn't."
While the ute was insured, Mr Dridan said he will struggle to replace it.
"I'll just have to settle on something else I suppose - if anyone knows of any around, point me in the right direction," he said.
"The last thing I want to do is replace the good ute I had with a lemon."
People from across Ballarat and the state have helped the family out in the past, from Blake's primary school classmates to the Richmond and St Kilda football clubs.
He's also been a part of the annual Maddie's Match AFL games, raising awareness for bone marrow disorders - even swapping out his beloved Tigers guernsey for a Saints one in June this year.
Despite all the support, this latest incident is another blow for the family, Mr Dridan said - he had some choice words for the culprits, but said he hoped things would improve soon.
"We've literally been through the wringer, and to have this happen is pretty gut wrenching," he said.
"I still believe the good outweigh the bad, but it'd be nice if it was a better ratio.
"We've had people do so many good things for us, and to have something like this happen takes away from them (too)."
Anyone with information regarding the theft on Sunday or the fire on Friday is urged to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
You can follow updates on Blake's story at Blake's Fight on Facebook.
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