Thieves have used a stolen JCB to rip a cash machine from the wall of a bank in Horncastle.
Lincolnshire police said they were called to reports that Lloyds Bank in High Street had been targeted at around 02:50 BST.
The force said the building had been “significantly” damaged in the raid, adding that officers believed the JCB had been stolen nearby.
Det Insp Paul Sands said: “This type of crime is very unusual for Horncastle and please be reassured we will do all in our power to seek out those responsible and bring them to justice.”
Police said it was believed the offenders had left the scene in a second vehicle, which may have been a pickup truck.
The force said road closures are in place as their forensic enquiries continued and to ensure the safety of the public.
Det Insp Sands said: “We are appealing for the public’s help in finding the culprits of this organised crime, which happened overnight in an otherwise peaceful rural town.”
Police said they were in the early stages of the investigation and had deployed a large number of staff to follow up various lines of enquiry.
“We have a number of officers at the scene who are there to assist with the investigation but are also there for the public – please do speak to them if you have any concerns or if you have any information that you have not already reported to us,” Det Insp Sands added.
The force is appealing for witnesses, dashcam and CCTV footage.
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