A gang of masked robbers executed a brazen ram-raid at a Co-op store in Christchurch, Dorset, early on Saturday morning, stealing a cash machine with alarming efficiency. The incident occurred around 2:30 am when the assailants drove a dark Volkswagen Touareg directly into the front of the convenience store. Witnesses reported a chaotic scene as the group used various tools to forcibly detach the ATM from the wall and load it into the vehicle’s boot.
After the heist, a second car, believed to be a blue Audi RS3, was seen speeding away, adding to the urgency of the police response. Authorities were notified shortly after the incident, arriving on the scene at 2:43 am to cordon off the area and begin a full investigation. A spokesperson for Dorset Police confirmed that the investigation aims to ascertain the circumstances surrounding this audacious crime.
The Co-op store has since reopened, but the traumatic event has left staff and local residents unsettled. A spokesperson for the store stated, “We appeal for anyone who may have seen or heard anything to come forward to Police, who are investigating. We would like to thank the Police for the speed of their response.” Despite these efforts, no arrests have been made so far, and police are actively seeking any information, particularly dashcam footage from the area.
This incident is not isolated; reports indicate a troubling trend of similar crimes across the UK, particularly targeting Co-op stores. Just last month, in a similar operation, a Range Rover was used in a ram-raid against a Midcounties Co-op in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, in which the perpetrators also escaped with an ATM. Historical cases dating back to 2016 show a pattern of such attacks on Co-op locations across Dorset, including incidents in Wareham and Upton, where criminals successfully made off with cash machines without being apprehended.
These alarming trends have sparked not only heightened police vigilance but also concerns among community members about safety. The incidents have created an atmosphere of fear, especially in smaller towns where convenience stores serve as vital local resources. In December, CCTV footage captured a separate robbery in Newport, South Wales, showing masked assailants violently assaulting a shopkeeper as they stole from the till, indicating an increasing boldness among criminals.
Moreover, there are growing concerns about how modern techniques of theft are evolving, with criminals utilising advanced methods for breaking into cash machines, including previous instances where devices were fitted to ATM machines to siphon funds or capture card information. Last year, two men were charged after being found guilty of such schemes across several sites in East Dorset, illustrating that while physical ram-raids dominate the headlines, more insidious forms of theft persist.
The community's outcry following such incidents highlights the need for increased safety measures and preventive strategies, as well as a collaborative effort between law enforcement and local businesses to mitigate the risks of future crimes. With the recent spike in ATM robberies, residents and local authorities alike hope for a swift resolution to ongoing investigations and an end to this unsettling pattern.
Source: Noah Wire Services