Appeal after cash machine stolen in ram raid at Crowland Spar

Police have launched an appeal for witnesses after ram raiders got away with a cash machine in the early hours of this morning (Wednesday).

A telehandler was stolen from a near-by farm to rip the ATM from the wall at the Spar shop in North Street, Crowland.

The wall at the store has been completely destroyed, with a post box also knocked to the ground.

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: “It is believed that a telehandler was stolen from a nearby farm in the early hours of this morning (27 December) before it was driven to the store, on North Street, with a white flatbed van.

“Offenders are then thought to have used the telehandler to ram the store and then lift the ATM onto the flat bed van before leaving the scene, in the Trinity Bridge direction.

“It is believed that three or four suspects, all wearing dark clothing and balaclavas, were involved in the incident. Two are thought to have left the scene on foot and were possibly collected in another vehicle or had one parked nearby.

“We received a call reporting the incident at 3.38am.

“We have since recovered the telehandler but the van and ATM remain outstanding, and no arrests have yet been made.

“If you saw a telehandler, unusually laden flatbed van or any vehicle parked or driving in a manner that caught your attention in the village during the early hours of this morning, spotted any suspicious activity or have any dashcam, doorbell, CCTV or mobile phone footage of the incident itself, please get in touch.”

There have been a string of ram raids in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire in recent weeks and months, leading to Peterborough police urging residents to ‘adopt a cash machine’ over the winter months to try and reduce the issues.

Anyone with information about the Crowland raid is asked to call DC Emma Dodsworth at Lincolnshire Police on 07818 539016, or email [email protected] quoting Incident 40 of 27 December. You can also contact independent charity, Crimestoppers, anonymously, by calling 0800 555111.