Manhunt launched following botched raid

Van driven into village shop in an attempt to steal cash machine

A manhunt was launched in Fife yesterday following a botched ram raid on a village shop.

A stolen flatbed van smashed into the front window of the Co-op store on Thornton’s Main Street as part of a bungled attempt to steal a cash machine.

An eyewitness claims the driver escaped in a waiting vehicle following the failed break-in, which took place shortly after 2am.

Shamila Kauser said she had been left shaken after watching the drama unfold.

“I heard a bang about three or four times, then I heard these alarms going off,” she said.

“I was awake so I went to the window and I saw a man hurry into a car. It was very scary. I couldn’t sleep afterwards.”

Police sealed off the building, which will be checked for structural damage after the van was rammed into the front of the store.

The vehicle was stolen from Station Road, just several hundred yards away, and had been fitted with ratchet straps, which the thieves would have used to haul away the ATM machine if the shop’s security barriers had not prevented them from gaining entry.

Confirming a manhunt was now under way, Detective Inspector Paul Dick from Glenrothes CID said: “While this has been an unsuccessful attempt to steal the ATM, it has caused considerable damage to the building.

“This is a serious and brazen crime, which will have an impact on the entire community of Thornton and will unfortunately cause disruption to local businesses and members of the public whilst we carry out a detailed examination of the scene.

“As part of this investigation we have established that the vehicle involved had previously been stolen from Station Road, which is a short distance away from the shop.

“I am keen to hear from anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the Thornton area during Tuesday evening or the early hours of Wednesday morning.

“It is also believed that the people involved left the area in another unidentified vehicle.

“Anyone with any further information relevant to this inquiry, or who can help us identify the persons involved should also contact police immediately.”

Yesterday’s raid is the latest to have affected Co-op stores, coming just days after one of its outlets in Angus was targeted, with cigarettes and alcohol stolen.

In December, a stolen dumper truck was driven into the chain’s outlet on Kirkcaldy’s Lauder Road.

Police, however, say that there is no indication that those incidents are linked to yesterday’s raid.

Picture: George McLuskie. The abandoned van following the botched raid on the Co-op in Thornton.

The graphic above shows where the van was stolen and the attempted robbery took place.