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Ram raids return with a vengeance
Ram raids have struck at a fast pace in recent months, including four raids in the space of five days. - Credit: Daniel Mason/Archant
Brazen night-time ram raiders are again wreaking havoc – and devastation – across Cambridgeshire and parts of West Norfolk.
Just three years after a gang was jailed for lengthy periods following an 11-month crime spree – that echo some of the more recent events – ram raids are back.
And they are striking at a fast pace.
Last night, a post office in Walsoken was raided – and three hours later a shop was targeted in Yaxley near Peterborough.
A cash machine was stolen at a post office in Walsoken, before a similar incident in Yaxley. - Credit: Archant
A cash machine was stolen at a post office in Walsoken, before a similar incident in Yaxley. - Credit: Archant
A cash machine was stolen at a post office in Walsoken, before a similar incident in Yaxley. - Credit: Archant
And in the later incident, a police officer received minor injuries.
The latest ram raids follow on less than a week after the front of the Nisa store in Chatteris was torn out and a cash machine pulled out.
A cash machine was ripped out and extensive damage was caused to the Nisa convenience store in Chatteris. - Credit: Daniel Mason
A cash machine was ripped out and extensive damage was caused to the Nisa convenience store in Chatteris. - Credit: Daniel Mason
And on the same night last week, a Co-op store in Milton Road, Cambridge, also fell prey to a ram raid.
There are other similarities with the 11-month crime spree of 2017 – the use of teleporters and high performance 4x4s to force entry and remove cash machines.
And, of course, the eye witness accounts of only small groups being seen on each occasion – invariably all wearing balaclavas.
Police are linking the recent series of raids – that also include the attack on a store in Outwell last November when a stolen 4x4 vehicle was used to steal a cash machine.
A stolen 4x4 vehicle was used to steal a cash machine in Outwell last November. - Credit: Sarah Hussain
A stolen 4x4 vehicle was used to steal a cash machine in Outwell last November. - Credit: Sarah Hussain
The overnight break in at the Walsoken post office took place around 1am today – just after 4am police received urgent calls about an ATM theft in progress at Yaxley.
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In the latter case police did manage to get to the scene whilst the raiders were fleeing – they rammed the police car, injuring an officer, and disappeared into the night.
