Thieves used a telehandler to steal an automated teller machine (ATM) from a Co-op store in Fenny Compton, Warwickshire, shortly before 3 a.m. on Wednesday. Following the theft, they set the construction vehicle ablaze, causing an explosion that melted the road surface.
Witnesses described hearing a loud explosion and seeing an inferno. Hilary Birkbeck, a furniture designer who captured footage of the incident, reported that the force of the blast cracked his double glazing and melted his guttering. He speculated that a gas canister may have been used to dislodge the ATM from its housing.
This is the second time the Co-op store has been targeted for its cash machine. In June 2019, robbers demolished part of the store's front with a stolen digger to steal the ATM. Following the latest attack, Mr. Birkbeck has urged the Co-op not to replace the cash machine, stating, "We don't want the machine back if this is what's likely to happen. I think we have suffered enough."
His wife, Jude, described the event as "absolutely terrifying," recounting hearing scraping and crashing sounds followed by a "big bang." Residents were advised to evacuate their homes.
The incident bears a striking resemblance to a similar theft that occurred less than three weeks prior in Shipston-on-Stour, where a telehandler was used to steal an ATM from a shop on High Street, and the vehicle was subsequently set alight.
Warwickshire Police are investigating the incident and have appealed for witnesses, particularly those with CCTV or doorbell camera footage, to come forward, referencing Incident 26 of November 4. High Street in Fenny Compton remained closed to traffic on Wednesday evening.