Thieves blew up cash machine at petrol station

Thieves used explosives to blow up a petrol station cashpoint in an attack captured on CCTV. Police issued a warning after the blast at the Texaco in Weyhill, Hampshire, which they say mirrors similar raids on cash machines in mainland Europe.



Officers were called after a resident reported a loud bang in the early hours of Sunday. Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Murray said they found the cashpoint on the forecourt blown open and money from inside stolen.

"Although this was a relatively contained explosion and fortunately no one was injured, the unpredictable nature of this type of offence means we could easily have been dealing with serious injury or death," he said. "Our priority is to keep the public safe and by showing this CCTV footage, we hope it highlights how potentially dangerous an explosion of this type can be.


YouTube link. Original BBC video.

"We are aware of crimes of this nature occurring in mainland Europe which have had serious consequences and our advice to anyone using a cashpoint is to be extremely vigilant of any suspicious activity nearby. If you notice anything unusual, or see any wires or cables running from the machine, do not attempt to touch it and call the police immediately."