Ram raiders in balaclavas attempted to steal a cash machine from a petrol station using a stolen low-loader.

Two men unsuccessfully targeted a Shell garage in London Road, Black Notley, at about 1.50am this morning.

After ram raiding their way through the back shutters the men proceeded to tie a rope around the bottom of the cash machine, before tying it to a Mercedes low-loader, stolen from Maldon, and trying to pull it out.

Manager Steven Hodis arrived to find alcohol bottles smashed across the floor.

He said: “What they have done is put a blue bin in front of the shutter and ram raided it.

“They tied rope around the bottom of the cash machine and tried to take it with the lorry.

“The alcohol on the shelves came crashing down, the alarm went off and the neighbours heard. They obviously panicked and ran off.”

The shop’s alarm woke up neighbours, but automatically turns itself off after a set period of time because of the shop's locality in a residential area.

Staff spent the morning cleaning the floor where drink had poured across it.

Gazette:

Photo by Dean Mcdonald

Mr Hodis, who has worked for Shell for about 18 months, added: "The people who did this are stupid. What they don't realise is the cash machines like this which charge don't keep a lot of money in them.

"They were only here for about three minutes."

Dean Mcdonald was on his way to collect parcels from the garage at about 7.40am and spotted an abandoned vehicle with rope attached to it in the forecourt.

He said: "I normally go there in the mornings to picky my parcels up from the ByBox.

"I think they tried to nick the ATM. They just left it there and did a runner, it's a bit of a mess there now."

Police confirmed it received reports of criminal damage at the petrol station at 5.20am that morning.

A spokesman said: "Suspects have unsuccessfully attempted to remove an ATM machine, using ropes attached to a white Mercedes low-oader vehicle which rammed the rear shutters of the property.

"Extensive damage was caused. The vehicle was reported stolen from Maldon.

"Two men were wearing seen on CCTV wearing balaclavas."

Anyone with information should call 101 or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.