Police appeal after Chippenham ramraid (From This Is Wiltshire)

Police appeal after Chippenham ramraid

11:38am Tuesday 9th March 2010 in Latest News By Alana Lewis

Police have made a fresh appeal for witnesses after thieves smashed a car through the front of a bank and grabbed cash yesterday evening.

At around 6.45pm police received reports of a silver Ford Focus being driven through the front of the building in High Street, while a cash delivery was being made.

Three men got out of the car and stole the cash cassettes which were being delivered to load into the ATM machines.

The men then abandoned the Ford Focus and fled the scene at speed in a black Volkswagen van.

A police spokesman said: "The security guards were not injured in this incident and police officers are still attempting to establish whether witnesses to this incident saw any weapons being used. "The total amount of cash stolen, still has to be established, but it is not anticipated that an exact amount will be released."

A short time later, a black Volkswagen van, with its number plates removed, was found in St Mary's Street, Chippenham, around 300 metres from Halifax.

Detective Sergeant Mark Kent, who is leading the investigation, said: “ While we have a number of witnesses from the Market Place area, I am appealing for anyone in the vicinity of St Mary's Street who saw the black VW van being driven at speed, or at least three men abandoning this vehicle and getting into another, and driving off, to contact me as a matter of urgency.”

Detectives and Crime Scene Investigators secured the area yesterday evening, and both the vehicles have been recovered for forensic examination. A number of witnesses have been identified and they will be interviewed over the course of the next few days.

Det Sgt Kent said: “Additionally, I need to establish whether this third vehicle drove off back in the Market Place direction, or whether it continued along St Mary's Street, in the direction of London Road. "It is certain that the vehicle would have been travelling at speed, so any information, however trivial it may seem, is important to me.”

Information may be left by ringing 0845 408 7000 and Det Sgt Kent has guaranteed that any information will be treated as confidential, and if preferred he can be contacted on extension 728300.

Alternatively, anonymous information may be left by ringing Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.