A gang of hooded men who used a digger to steal a cash machine have escaped with a substantial sum of money, police said today.
The robbery took place at a petrol station on the Upper Dromore Road in Warrenpoint, Co Down, at around 3.15am.
The thieves used a digger parked near the scene to demolish the wall surrounding the ATM.
The cash machine was then loaded on to a white pick-up truck and driven away. Detectives today said they could not confirm the exact amount of money stolen.
Police have appealed for anyone with information on the robbery, or who might have seen a grey BMW thought to have been used by the gang, to come forward.
SDLP Councillor Michael Carr condemned those responsible for the raid.
"Obviously this is a severe blow for the people running the petrol station and shop where the machine was taken," he said.
"This ATM was very popular with people from a wide rural area heading out of the town and they will be seriously inconvenienced until it is replaced.
"The people who did this are clearly ruthless. We need to get them out of our community and before the courts.
"Anyone who might be able to throw any light on this crime should contact the police without delay."
PA
