An appeal has been issued to people to keep an eye on the roads and to report any early morning sighting of diggers to the police, after one was used to smash into a bank and steal a cash machine.
Detectives are still trying to track down a gang which has used stolen diggers to wrench cash machines from rural shops or building societies in parts of Leicestershire, including one raid in Ashby.
Officers are now calling on people to contact them immediately if they see a digger, or any other type of large plant machinery, on the road late at night or in the early hours. They think the same gang has carried out three raids in Ashby, Thringstone and Stoney Stanton in the past two months and diggers out early or very late is suspicious and they could be involved in crime.
On July 10, thieves used a stolen digger to crash into the Nationwide building society in Ashby to remove the ATM. In the most recent incident, at the Co-op, in Long Street, Stoney Stanton, the digger had been stolen and driven more than seven miles to the scene. It was then used to smash the front of the shop and to forcefully remove the cash machine at 3am.
Detective Inspector Gareth Goddard, of Leicestershire's complex crime unit, said people should consider it “unusual” to see such vehicles on the road outside regular working hours.
He said: "The only ones we are linking at the moment are Ashby, Thringstone and Stoney Stanton.
"In the latest incident, in Stoney Stanton, the vehicle was driven from Gilmorton – approximately seven miles
"If you see plant machinery moving around early in the morning tell us.
"It is unusual to see plant machinery moving around at these times of day.
"Tell us straight away and we will check it out.”
Leicestershire Police has recorded a further nine attacks on ATMs since April last year; some also involving stolen long-arm vehicles. However, they are not currently being linked to the three latest ones and separate inquiries are continuing into these.
Detectives are also speaking to neighbouring forces to establish whether the gang is targeting businesses further afield, the officer said.
He added: "We are also working with local businesses to make plant equipment more secure."
Officers are also able to offer advice to businesses which have ATMs on how they can reduce the risk of being targeted, he said. Measures such as placing strong bollards in front of their buildings or moving freestanding machines further away from their entrances have been suggested.
Detective Inspector Goddard added: "We can’t say for certain how many members there are of this group. There are at least three, but it could be more.
"We are going through CCTV now but if anyone has any footage they believe might help us, then we would ask them to give it to us.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Leicestershire Police on 101.
