used in raid was from Bow

ONE OF two stolen vehicles used to steal a cash machine containing £100,000 from a bank at Hatherleigh was from Bow, near Crediton.

The vehicle was a blue Toyota HiLux 4x4, stolen between 2.45pm and 3.15pm on Thursday, February 18.

It was used to remove the ATM after it had been pulled from the wall of the NatWest Bank, Hatherleigh, at about 3.15am on Saturday, February 20.

A red Manitou heavy duty forklift truck, which was stolen from Bideford during the evening of Thursday, February 18, was used to remove the ATM from the bank.

Video footage shows the Manitou entering Hatherleigh at approximately 7.55pm on Friday, February 19 and parking in the Market car park facing the bank.

It remained there until it was used as a battering ram to smash the front of the bank.

Video footage shows the Toyota leaving Hatherleigh at approximately 3.35am on the Saturday and this was followed by an additional dark coloured vehicle believed to have been used by the offenders. There are no further details of this vehicle.

The police are keen to hear from witnesses to the incident or from anyone who may have seen the vehicles going to or from Hatherleigh.

It is believed the vehicles were parked up somewhere in between the times already known.

Police say possibly three men were involved in the raid.

They were said to have been dressed in reflective clothing and were possibly wearing hard hats.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police on 08452 777444 and quote crime reference 350 of February 20.

Information can also be given confidentially via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Also of interest is any suspicious or unusual behaviour demonstrated by persons in the area of the National Westminster Bank over the previous weeks.