SMASH & GRAB
Ram-raiders leave shop in chaos but fail in bid to steal cash machine
Police are hunting two men who smashed through the front of a Westwood store in a brazen ram-raid on Monday.
Owner of the Lifestyle Express shop in Leeward Circle, Sirfraz Iqbal, was left with a massive clean-up job after a Land Rover Discovery ploughed into the shop front in a botched attempt to steal a cash machine in the early hours of the morning. An investigation has now been launched by police. Sirfraz told the News: “I am just absolutely stunned. “The shop was a complete mess afterwards – I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”
A stunned shopkeeper has spoken of his anger after brazen ram-raiders smashed through his front doors in a bid to steal a cash machine.
Sirfraz Iqbal, who owns the Lifestyle Express store in Leeward Circle in Westwood, was awoken by a call from police in the early hours of Monday morning to say his shop alarm had been activated.
He rushed to the shop believing he had been broken into but was stunned to see his shutters bent double and the front doors taken clean off their hinges.
The ATM machine was dragged halfway across the shop floor but the raiders failed to make off with any cash.
Police are now hunting two men who ploughed a dark-coloured Land Rover Discovery into the store at 2.50am.
The same vehicle, which was later dumped and set alight, was used in two other raids elsewhere in Lanarkshire, say police.
A stunned Sirfraz, who has ran the shop for the last eight years, told the News: “I was on my way to the shop after the first phone call from police when they called back to say the shop had been broken in to.
“But I wasn’t expecting what I saw when I arrived.
“There were at least three police cars and my front doors had been taken clean off and the shutters bent in on themselves.
“It was a total mess – I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”
He went on: “They had also dragged the cash machine, which is new, out but they couldn’t get into it.
“In all the time I have been here I have never had any problems – the alarm hasn’t even gone off once.
“All my customers are fantastic and it is a great wee community.
“Everyone was coming in and asking what had happened and if we were OK.”
Police have been carrying out door-to-door enquiries as part of the investigation and forensic officers were at the scene.
CCTV footage is also being examined in a bid to catch the culprits. Sirfraz added: “I think I was just in a complete panic when I first saw what happened.
“I am not only shocked but really angry that this has happened.
One local resident told the News: “I didn’t hear a thing and it wasn’t until I went out first thing I saw the police tape I knew something was wrong.
“It’s a real same because everyone in the shop is so friendly.”
A Spar store in Stonehouse was ram-raided shortly before 2am on Monday and then just 20 minutes after the Westwood incident, a Pennysave store in Hamilton was targeted and a cash machine stolen.
Detective Inspector David Cockburn said: “Our enquiries carried out so far have revealed two men were in the car and both were wearing dark coloured clothing.
“The car sustained damage to its rear tail light which was smashed out so I’m appealing to anyone who may have seen the vehicle to contact us.
“Perhaps you remember seeing the car with the damaged light.
“The car is now undergoing a full examination by forensic officers and detectives will continue to carry out door-to-door enquiries as part of the ongoing investigation.
“If anyone has any information or knowledge about the suspects, any of the incidents, or the car then please do contact us.”
Anyone with information is asked to call CID officers at Hamilton Police Office via 101 or call Crimestoppers on 08700 555 111.
It was a total mess. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.