Terrified Gretna residents woken by ‘thunderous noise’ as masked thieves used forklift to steal £30,000 ATM cash in brazen ram-raid
Shocking pictures show cops and forensic teams on the scene at Gretna's Co-op store in Dumfriesshire this morning after raiders made off with a five-figure sum of money
MASKED thugs have made off with a huge cash haul after using a stolen FORKLIFT to ram-raid a supermarket's ATM.
Shocking pictures show cops and forensic teams on the scene at Gretna's Co-op store in Dumfriesshire this morning after raiders made off with the machine containing £30,000.
A trail of devastation can be seen in the snaps, with debris from the ripped out ATM strewn across the car park.
The forklift used in the 2.45am raid was stolen from a nearby farm before the robbery.
Detectives are now appealing for information to hunt down the three thieves, spotted on CCTV wearing balaclavas.
It is understood the trio used the industrial Manitou forklift to tear the cash machine from the wall, causing extensive damage to the building.
The suspects then made off from the scene in a stolen silver Vauxhall Vectra motor, which had been adapted to fit the ATM in the boot, heading along Surrone Road onto Loanwath Road.
Residents revealed they were woken in their beds by a “thunderous noise” during the 2.45am heist.
One said: “I thought it was a bomb going off at first. Then I saw the carnage they had caused to our store. It’s terrible. I hope they are caught quickly.”
Staff at the store, which only opened last year, were called out as Storm Ali’s gales lashed the area.
Team leader Kimbo Neilson wrote on social media: “Not the best phone call to get when you’re in your bed.
“Fingers crossed that they’ll get who did it.”
And Michelle Davidson slammed the culprits’ “shameful behaviour”.
Detective Chief Inspector Colin Burnie from Dumfries CID said: “Enquiries are at an early stage to trace the individuals involved in this reckless incident.
“Detectives are currently carrying out extensive enquiries including examining CCTV and speaking to local residents.
I would ask anyone living in the area who saw or heard anything suspicious, and is yet to speak to police, to please get in touch.
“I would also appeal to anyone who saw a forklift or a silver Vectra car in the area in the early hours of this morning to please get in touch.
A spokeswoman for the Co-op said: “We can confirm that an incident involving an attack on the ATM machine occurred at our Gretna store on Annan Road during the early hours of the morning (Thursday 20 September).
MOST READ IN SCOTTISH CRIME
"Fortunately no store colleagues were present but the store remains closed whilst we assess the damage.
"We’d like to apologise to the local community for the inconvenience caused by this incident.
"The Co-op takes retail crime very seriously and implements a wide range of measures to deter criminal activity and aid convictions. We appeal for anyone with information to come forward to the police.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Dumfries CID via 101, quoting incident number 0246 of Thursday 20 September 2018.
Alternatively you can call CRIMESTOPPERS on 0800 555 111 where details can be given in confidence.
We pay for your stories and videos! Do you have a story or video for The Scottish Sun? Email us at scoop@thesun.co.uk or call 0141 420 5200