Daring Diggers Steal ATM in Early Morning Heist at Gillingham Shopping Centre
Thieves pulled off a brazen raid in the dead of night, using a digger to rip two cash machines from Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre in Gillingham. The robbery happened around 3.15am on Monday, 20 May 2019, leaving police scrambling to piece together the crime.
Diggers, Vans and No Arrests Yet
The Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate is leading the investigation. While one ATM was abandoned at the scene, the digger used in the heist was later found dumped in a field off 1 Valley Drive. Officers are still hunting for a flatbed van, believed to have been used to haul away the stolen ATM. The van’s number plates were removed, making it tricky to trace.
Damage Checks and Urgent Appeals
Civil engineers have been called in to check the shopping centre for structural damage after the forceful removal of the machines. Detective Inspector James Derham urged the public to come forward with any leads.
“There are numerous lines of enquiry we are actively pursuing, however we are keen to hear from anyone who has information that can assist us. The digger attended the scene alongside a flatbed van, which we are yet to locate and was loaded with the stolen ATM. Its plates had been removed and anyone who saw a vehicle in the area fitting this description is asked to get in contact with us.”
Have You Seen This Vehicle?
If you spotted anything suspicious around Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre on the night of 20 May or know anything about the missing flatbed van, call the police on 01634 792209 quoting reference 20-010.
