Smash and grab post office raid

boarded-up . . . the post office

RAMRAIDERS smashed through the front of a Chadderton post office and fled with a cash machine.

A Transit van demolished the front of the business in Parkgate, Burnley Lane.

The cash machine was placed in a waiting silver Volkswagen Touran as the masked raider fled in a blue or black Vauxhall Astra.

One man who witnessed the raid shortly before midnight in Thursday said: “I heard a scraping noise and I thought it was children messing about with the shutters.

“They backed up into the litter bin and moved it out of the way then they reversed into the shutters.”

He said the raiders rammed the shutters five times and added: “The guys just grabbed the cash machine and made off. The driver then legged it. They got into two black cars and screeched off. They were in and out within 90 seconds. Within a minute of them leaving two police cars came screaming round. The police cars could have almost passed them.”

The pick-up van, which had a distinctive yellow cab, was abandoned at the scene.

Engineers were called to make sure the building, which has flats on the first floor, was safe.

Detective Constable Rich Whiting, of Oldham CID, said: “These offenders caused massive damage to the building and it will take some time for the post office to get back up and running again.

“We believe there may have been witnesses who were in a car near-by, but we were not able to speak to them as they had left before we had arrived.

“If you witnessed what happened, please contact us as your information could be vital to us finding the people responsible.

“There were a number of vehicles involved in this so I want to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in the lead up to this burglary, or if you simply have information of who has committed this crime, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.”

Anyone with information should call police on 0161-856 8951 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.