A police cordon has been thrown around a Hove bank which was raided by armed robbers wielding a machete and an angle grinder last night.
Police have launched an appeal for witnesses following the robbery at Santander in George Street last night.
Officers were called to Santander at around 11.40pm after the alarm was raised by two security guards who were unloading the cash machines inside the branch.
It is believed four men wearing gloves and masks smashed their way through the bank’s glass doors. One of the suspects was carrying a machete and another was holding an angle grinder.
There were no reported injuries.
The suspects stole a ‘cassette’ used in the cash machines but it is not yet known how much money was inside. The suspects then drove off down Haddington Street in a blue Volkswagen.
The car was found abandoned by police in Wilbury Crescent and has been seized.
Detective Sergeant James Meanwell said: “We would like to hear from anyone who was in George Street or Wilbury Crescent on Tuesday evening and who saw anything suspicious.
“Witnesses can email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101 quoting reference 1553 of 15/03.”
Alternatively, you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 (http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/).
A Santander spokesperson said: “The branch is currently closed and the police are managing the incident. We understand the closure of the branch may inconvenience our customers, and we would ask them to use online, mobile or telephone banking for any urgent requirements they have whilst the branch is closed.
“We expect the branch to re-open this afternoon.”
Haddington Street?! That’s a new one to me!!
Haddington street is a road near George street in hove.
Maybe they just wanted their PIN and card to work together. If I’d used this approach maybe it wouldn’t have taken Santander 4 months to accomplish this basic feature of my Current Account