THIEVES made off with an cash machine after raiding a Cirencester petrol station this morning.

Police are appealing for witnesses after the offenders used a 4x4 vehicle to smash a window of Abbey Way services in Gloucester Street before wrapping chains around the standalone cash machine and dragging it from its base.

The raid happened around midnight on Monday, December 18.

Detective sergeant Darren Jones, who is leading the investigation, said: This is the sixth incident of this kind in Gloucestershire in the past six weeks and we are looking at similarities between them to see if they are connected.

"We are also working with our colleagues in bordering forces who had similar offences, sharing information to try to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.

"We are not aware of anyone being physically injured during the offences, thankfully, but any crime can cause emotional harm and fear in the community.

"We would like to reassure Gloucestershire residents that we are doing all that we can to protect them and prevent these offences re-occurring."

Other cash machine incidents in Gloucestershire recently include: attempted theft in Lydney on 10 November; theft of cash from machine at Huntley on November 10; attempted theft from Aldi on November 13; theft from machine at the Co-op store in Nailsworth; and theft of a cash machine from Wynn's coffee shop in Stonehouse on September 7.

Anyone with information about the latest incident is asked to call Gloucestershire Constabulary on 101 or email 101@gloucestershire.police.uk quoting incident 5 of 18/12.