Gang takes 2 hours to steal safe

A LARGE safe containing a significant amount of cash was stolen from a supermarket in Chadderton in the early hours of Tuesday.

Burglars used the store’s hydraulic trolleys to move the safe to the door of the Lidl store, Jardine way, before loading it on to a vehicle and driving it away.

The raiders cut phone lines before breaking into the back of the store just before 1am.

Damage

They disabled the alarm and then spent the next two hours manoeuvring the safe through the store.

The safe, measuring 5ftx4ftx4ft, was too big to get through doorways, so the raiders smashed through to widen them, causing substantial damage.

The safe’s make is Euroguard and the model is Origami 111138/1LD.

Det Con Ian Lloyd, from Oldham CID, said: “After they’d taken the money out of this very large safe, the thieves would need to get rid of it somehow.

“They may have dumped it somewhere. They may even have tried to trade it in for scrap.

“Its very big, and quite distinctive, so someone is likely to have either seen them dumping it or been asked to dispose of it for them.

“If you do know anything about this I urge you to get in touch. “We will treat what you tell us in the strictest of confidence.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Oldham CID on 0161 856 8951 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.