Thieves used gas to cause an explosion as they stole cash from an ATM machine at a Spalding family business.
Neighbours heard a large explosion as cash cartridges were stolen in the raid of The Happy Shopper on Holbeach Road at around 2.40am on Saturday, January 5.
The business has been owned by brothers Ranjit and Baldinder Khela since 1983.
Ranjit said the police came within seconds of catching the four balaklaved men who made off with an unknown amount of money
“We got a call from the Post Office alarm team at around 2.40am,” he said. “We can view the CCTV at home and you could see a vehicle parked outside at the time.
“From what we’re told they caused an explosion using gas bottles or cylinders.
“They’d tried to gain entry through the door and damaged that, but instead cut through the screen that was down and around the front of the ATM.
“That’s where they put the gas and caused the explosion.
“The explosion was quite loud. I’ve spoken to people who said they could hear it quite a distance from here.”
Ranjit says that from the CCTV you can see the thieves outside the shop for 10 minutes before the explosion and are working for five minutes after setting off the alarms.
“Unfortunately you can see on the CCTV how close the police came to catching them,” he continued. “Two vehicles came from two different directions.
“One was 15 seconds after they’d gone and one 20 seconds. One of the cars must have driven right past the getaway vehicle around Springfields.
“One did chase after them towards Moulton I believe, but they lost them somewhere.”
The Khela’s shop has reopened after the Saturday morning clear up, but the Post Office was closed until Tuesday afternoon as safety checks were carried out.
Ranjit said: “It’s the disruption that’s the biggest problem for us.
“You can’t just open straight away.”
A spokesman for Lincolnshire Police, said: “We were called at 2.41am on Saturday, January 5 about attack on the ATM at The Late Shopper (Costcutter) store, Holbeach Road, Spalding.
“Offenders have taken cash cartridges from the ATM and then left the scene in a silver estate car. It is believed that four offenders were involved. Work is ongoing to trace the offenders and the vehicle.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting Incident 39 of January 5.
