Police Scotland to tackle cash machine thefts

POLICE Scotland today announced that a dedicated team of detectives has been formed to probe a series of cash machine raids in the north east of Scotland.

Police Scotland has set up a taskforce to probe a spate of cash machine thefts.Picture: PA

The formation of the special squad was announced as the force revealed that detectives were investigating an incident in the early hours of this morning in which damage was caused to a cash machine in Market Street in Ellon in Aberdeenshire.

An ATM was stolen in the early hours of Wednesday morning from the Post Office in Hopeman Road, Duffus, in Moray. And detectives are also investigating recent ATM raids on banks in Inverurie and Oldmeldrum and a Scotmid store in Bieldside.

Detective Inspector Graeme Mackie said today “We are investigating damage to an ATM at the Clydesdale Bank on Market Street, Ellon, Aberdeenshire. The incident is believed to have happened during the early hours of today and I would encourage anyone who may have witnessed the incident or seen any person or vehicle acting suspiciously, or have any other information to contact Police Scotland.”

He added: “We have dedicated officers looking into this matter and we will be keeping an open mind to see whether this attempted theft is connected to previous incidents.”