POLICE are hunting a gang who broke into a new Co-op store and smashed open a cash machine, stealing a large sum of cash

The raiders, who are thought to have been driving a white BMW 1 Series car, struck around 4am last Wednesday (November 8) at the Co-op store in Monmouth’s Rockfield Road.

A Gwent Police spokeswoman said the store’s glass entrance door was smashed and a roller shutter door cut open, with extensive damage caused to the outside of the building

The offenders are then thought to have used a gas canister and tools to break open the store’s cashpoint before making off with a substantial amount of money.

The Co-op convenience store only opened last August, after the 8,150sq ft development of a dilapidated chicken farm site. Last month, developers Henry Boot sold the two-unit retail centre to Mersenne Properties for £2.2m.

Officers would like to trace four males seen in the area around the time of the raid in a white BMW 1 Series car. Anyone with information should call 101 quoting log number 16 08/11/17.