Whittlesey ram-raiders who tore out cashpoint with digger caught on phone footage

Ram-raiders used a digger to rip out a cashpoint from a rural village for the second time in three weeks - but police say they are not linking the two incidents.

Police were called to Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire overnight on Saturday to reports that a gang had smashed through a building society window.

Four people used a JCB digger stolen from a nearby farm and a white Ford Ranger pick-up truck to carry out the raid at about 1.45am.

Footage posted on social media showed the cash point being lifted out by the crane of the digger.

Clearly shocked, one onlooker can be heard saying "Oh my God" as the large vehicle removes the cashpoint.

It comes three weeks after ram-raiders ripped out a cashpoint in another Cambridgeshire village.

Thieves removed the ATM at the Spar store in Bassingbourn, 45 miles away, on 13 October.

Two stolen cars and a stolen telehander were involved in the raid.

Cambridgeshire Police said the two raids were not currently being treated as related.

Det Insp Shish Thind said that business burglaries were not victimless crimes.

He said: "They have a huge impact on shop workers and the people that use their facilities in our communities.

"We are in the early stages of the investigation and keen to speak to any witnesses who saw suspicious activity in the area in the early hours of this morning to get in touch."

Police are also keen to hear from anyone who has dash-cam footage.

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