Raiders Smash Into Santander n Restaurant

A restaurant on the other side of the street was damaged, thought to have been caused by the digger driving backwards and forwards.

A digger was left embedded in a bank branch after at least four people attempted to steal a cash machine.

The raiders used the vehicle to smash into the front of the Santander branch in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, at around 3am on Monday.

The building in Hockliffe Street was badly damaged, but the ATM was left lying among the debris. 

Detective Sergeant Tom Hamm, from Bedfordshire Police, said: "We believe at least four offenders were involved in this audacious attempt to retrieve an ATM.

"Fortunately they were unsuccessful and fled the scene empty-handed along North Street, in what is believed to be either an Audi or a BMW.

"We have a number of officers working to help find those responsible, and we're calling on the public to help us.

"The JCB is believed to have been stolen recently in Leighton Buzzard, and to see one being driven around late at night is quite unusual so if you have witnessed this recently we'd encourage you to get in touch.

"We're also appealing for business and home owners in the vicinity of the incident who have their own CCTV to send it in to us, in the hope it may have captured those responsible."

The road was due to be closed for most of the day while investigations and repairs were carried out.