Co-Op in Lostock Hall raided by thieves

The shop in Watkin Lane was raided at around 3.30am this morning (January 25).

The store and car park has been cordoned off and police are at the scene.

A police spokesman said: "We are investigating an attempted theft of the ATM at the shop. It's early stages and enquiries are on-going."

The entrance to the store is protected by security bollards to prevent ram raiders gaining entry.

But it is believed the thieves placed metal delivery trolleys in front of the entrance before driving into them to smash their way through.

A spokesperson for the Co-op said: “I can confirm that there was an attempted robbery at our Lostock Hall store at around 3.30am this morning (25 January).

"CCTV coverage has been shared with the police, who are investigating, and we would ask anyone with information about the incident to come forward.”

A neighbour who witnessed the raid from her bedroom window, said: "They had a good go and tried for a good 10 minutes or so.

"They used customer trolleys and delivery trolleys against the door and kept driving into them to get through the bollards.

"I've never seen so many police driving around."

It is one of a number of cash machine raids in the Preston area recently.

On Wednesday, January 16, thieves blew up a cash machine at a Post Office in Fulwood during a late night raid.

Raiders stole thousands of pounds from the Sharoe Green Post Office in Garstang Road after it was targeted at around 11.40pm.The daring raid lasted no more than ten minutes as the men, all wearing hoods, used gas to blow up the cash machine and gain entry to the store.

Neighbours said the explosion sounded like "a bomb going off".On Friday, January 18, a man was arrested and charged following a failed cash machine raid at the Post Office in Goosnargh.

Thieves removed a freestanding cash machine from the Whittingham Lane store but dumped it in the road after failing to lift it onto the back of a 4X4.