Raiders flee with cash after ATM is 'blown up'

An investigation is underway after another cash machine appears to have been blown up in the Wigan area.
Co-op, Winstanley Centre, WiganCo-op, Winstanley Centre, Wigan
Co-op, Winstanley Centre, Wigan

Raiders fled with a "large amount of cash" after targeting the automatic telling machine outside the Co-op at the Winstanley Centre, in Holmes House Avenue.

The cash snatch is the latest in a series of ATM attacks locally - a cash machine at the Co-op in Lowton was blown up last Thursday, another was ripped from a wall at the Asda store in Golborne and a third was also blown up, at the Bargain Booze store in Hamilton Road, Garswood.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Watch manager Neil Mercer, of Wigan fire station, said firefighters had been alerted to the disturbance by a fire alarm.

Co-op, Winstanley Centre, WiganCo-op, Winstanley Centre, Wigan
Co-op, Winstanley Centre, Wigan

"There was no structural damage so we checked the scene for signs of a fire and isolated the electrics," he said.

"There was still a large amount of cash on the floor and it appeared they had taken some of it and left.

"It appeared that the front had been blown off not the whole ATM."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Detectives and scenes of crime officers sealed off the immediate area and have launched an inquiry.

Co-op, Winstanley Centre, WiganCo-op, Winstanley Centre, Wigan
Co-op, Winstanley Centre, Wigan

A Greater Manchester Police spokeswoman said officers were called out at around 12.50am.

She confirmed that "a large amount of cash" had been taken and that enquiries were ongoing.

Potential witnesses are being asked to call the non-emergency number 101, quoting log number 65 of today's date.