Two ram-raids at village supermarkets using agricultural machines to steal cash points are being linked by police, it has been confirmed.
Staffordshire Police has said that it is believed that the ram-raid at the Co-op in Lichfield Road, Kings Bromley, on Wednesday, August 2, and one the following day over the border at Nisa, in Station Road, Hatton, are linked.
The investigation is ongoing and detectives will be working with their colleagues at Derbyshire police.
The first attempt at stealing the ATM machine at the Co-operative store in Kings Bromley by a masked gang was unsuccessful after they were disturbed by officers. The JCB machine, which was stolen from a farm in Netherseal in Derbyshire, was left in the side of the building with a metal box hanging from it and the gang ran off to waiting vehicles. The machine was a telescopic handling one, which has a powerful extending arm for lifting heavy items.
The attempt caused extensive damage to the building with two large windows smashed with window frames damaged and debris on the floor.
Police said they received the call at 3.10am had to then preserve and the scene for a forensic examination to take place as they hunt the gang responsible.
Anyone who saw anything suspicious is asked to call the force on 101 quoting incident number 60 of August 2.
The following morning, the Nisa store, in Hatton, was targeted and the thieves, believed to be four men, used a telehandler stolen from Tutbury to steal a cash machine from a supermarket in Hatton.
Officers from Derbyshire police were called at 2.30am yesterday, Thursday, August 3, by residents who saw a vehicle, which had a telescopic arm, dragging a cash machine from the wall.
The thieves put the machine in a trailer being pulled by a 4x4 vehicle before driving off, accompanied by a car.
Police said that officers were sent to the scene immediately and one thief threw a metal bar at officers before the vehicles drove off. Officers began searching for the gang, alerting neighbouring forces to the theft, but the 4x4 was not found. Staffordshire Police did see the car in Alrewas but it drove off.
The telescopic handler was left at the scene.
Witnesses or anyone with information or CCTV footage is asked to call Derbyshire police on 101 quoting reference 17000330482 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
The ram-raid at the Nationwide Building Society, in Ashby, is not currently being linked.
