Thieves use digger to steal ATM from shop wall

Thieves have used a digger to steal an ATM from the wall outside a newsagents, causing extensive damage to the building.

Four people wearing balaclavas carried out the theft at Bobby’s Newsagents in Main Street in Forth, South Lanarkshire, at around 4.10am on Friday morning.

After using a Manitou digger to forcibly remove the cash machine, they escaped in a silver Kia Sorento, which had been modified to fit the ATM.

The cash machine is believed to have contained a five-figure sum of money.

Police later recovered the car in the nearby Carnwath area and are appealing for information about the incident.

Detective Sergeant Erin Renwick from Wishaw CID said: “We are appealing to anyone who was in the vicinity of Main Street, Forth, in the early hours of Friday morning and may have seen or heard anything at all suspicious to please get in touch.

“We would also ask any motorists with dashcams who were travelling between the Forth and Carnwath areas to check in case they have captured any footage which could be of significance to the investigation.

“The silver Kia Sorento was very obviously modified and we would appeal to anyone who noticed this vehicle to get in touch.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Wishaw CID via 101, quoting incident number 0397 of Friday October 12. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where details can be given in confidence.”