Raiders used a car to ram their way into a village post office to steal its safe this morning.
The shop, in Leicester Road, Sharnford, near Hinckley, was targeted shortly before 4am.
The intruders used the car to smash the shop's front door.
In a statement this afternoon, Leicestershire Police said: "Officers were called at around 3.50am today to a report of a burglary at the premises in Leicester Road.
"Burglars drove a vehicle into the front door of the property and after gaining entry made off in the vehicle."
The safe, which was later found submerged in the river at nearby Kirkby Mallory, contained an undisclosed amount of cash.
Detective Constable Kerry Willden, who is leading the investigation, said: “Inquiries are being carried out to find those responsible and I would urge anyone who has any information to please get in touch.
"Perhaps you saw a vehicle in the area at the time which may be linked to this incident? Or maybe you saw a vehicle leaving the scene at speed or saw which direction it went?
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“Any information you may have no matter how insignificant it may seem could prove valuable to our investigation so please give us a call.”
The shop was targeted in November last year when two men, one armed with a knife, the other with a spanner, threatened staff members before escaping on a motorbike with cash.
Contact Det Con Willden on 101.
