Witnesses appeal after post office 'ram raid'
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after hooded men 'ram raided' a Totnes post office on Christmas Day.
Neighbours in Western Way, Bridgetown, alerted police after they were woken by the alarm at the Spar shop and post office (pictured) at Christina Parade at 5.20am.
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They say they saw the group of men wearing black hoods 'ram raiding' a cash machine with the back of a Land Rover before making off empty-handed in another vehicle.
The machine had been emptied every night since a raid on a machine at the Spar shop in Chagford more than two weeks ago.
c/w drapes,rod, mattress,bumper and bedding
Terms: order service only deposit required
Contact: 01803 221105
Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013
The shop, which is at the heart of a quiet residential area, is overlooked by a number of properties and covered by CCTV.
Shop worker Steve Robinson said he was woken by the alarm company at 5.23am and came straight down to see what had happened.
He said: "It is just one of those things but it is not the best thing to be confronted with on Christmas morning."
He was unable to be with his family on Christmas morning while he helped clear the shop, but it was open again on Boxing Day.
He said: "Thankfully there was not a lot to clear up.
"There was smashed glass and the metal front was taken off the cash machine, which was left behind anyway."
Nearby resident Charlotte Fahey said: "My daughter talks in her sleep and I thought it was her stirring at first, but then my partner shouted to me that men were trying to rob the shop."
Neighbours say they heard the group shouting and swearing while trying to attach the cash machine to a rigid tow bar at the back of the Land Rover.
But they aborted the raid and instead sped off in another car.
At 5.49am the same morning, fire and ambulance crews were called to the A381 between Red Post and the Pig and Whistle pub after a collision between a Subaru estate and a tree.
A 25-year-old man was cut free from the car by firefighters and was being treated in hospital, under police guard, for his injuries.
Police were unable to find two further occupants of the car.
A police spokesman said a four wheel drive vehicle had been driven through a window of the shop and a second vehicle had driven from the scene. A vehicle crashed a short time later in Totnes Road.
The spokesman said: "Although two people ran from the vehicle, a third was trapped and had to be released by the fire. He was subsequently arrested and taken to hospital.
"The area was searched by the force helicopter and officers on the ground, but the two suspects were not found. There is some concern these two may have been injured in the collision. It later transpired a Subaru had been stolen from Bridgetown shortly beforehand."
Detective are appealing for anyone with any information to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 quoting crime reference JS/12/1347.
A man, from the Gloucestershire area, has been arrested and bailed until March 13.
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