Two London men in police custody after Clanfield Co-op ram-raid
TWO men from London are in custody having been arrested following the attempted theft of an ATM from a Co-operative store.
The ram-raid took place on White Dirt Lane, Clanfield, at around 2.45am on Sunday following reports of people trying to steal the machine - leaving structural damage to the store.
A 16-year-old boy, from Larkhall in London, and a 19-year-old man from Nine Elms in London, were arrested on suspicion of attempted theft.
A police spokeswoman said: ‘The two were detained by officers in the Metropolitan Police after our enquiries identified them as being in that area. They remain in custody at this time.’
A telehandler was used to rip out the cash point with the ATM smashed out of the ground before being abandoned by the gang, who dumped the telehandler and fled in two cars.
The raid was the second of its kind at the village shop and has sent shock waves through the Clanfield community.
Following the ambush, councillor John Bannell, chairman of Clanfield Parish Council, said: ‘It’s despicable.This is the second time the store has been targeted in the space of two or three years.
‘This is most unfair and distressing for the staff at the Co-operative, who have been doing wonderful work to keep things going in the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘It’s unacceptable that the staff of the Co-operative to be in any way under threat at any time.’