Three ram raids in Worcester, one in Droitwich inside a week

The two ram raids, which police believe are linked, took place between 5am and 6am at the petrol station in Sainsbury's in Blackpole in Worcester and at Homebase in the Elgar Retail Park, also in Blackpole in the early hours of this morning.

They follow two earlier ram raids, one at Costcutter in Ambleside Drive at the Esso garage in Worcester Road, Droitwich, both in the early hours of Bank Holiday Monday (August 29).

West Mercia Police are exploring the possibility that these earlier ram raids are linked to the ones in Worcester on Friday.

The Droitwich raid happened at 12.30am and the Costcutter raid at around 12.50am and involved a grey saloon car reversing into the building before being driven off.

A woman, who did not wish to be named, heard a loud bang as the vehicle ploughed into the petrol station kiosk at Sainsbury's in Blackpole, Worcester in the the early hours of this morning.

The eyewitness said: "I heard a loud bang at 5.15am and saw a black Land Rover in the forecourt of the petrol station with its boot against the building and lots of smoke.

"I called the police straight away at 5.20am as the black Land Rover left and headed left onto Windermere Drive towards the Hungry Horse, which I told the police.

"I was very shaken by the noise."

Police are hunting a black Land Rover used in a raid at the Sainsbury's supermarket in Blackpole at around 5.20am.

The same vehicle was also believed to have been used during a raid at Homebase in the Elgar Retail Park, also in Blackpole, reported at around 6am.

A ram raid also happened at Costcutter in Ambleside Drive in Warndon, Worcester at 1am on Monday, buckling the shutters and damaging the wooden frame of the building.

Owners, Satty Chahal and husband Harry Chahal said the repairs when finished will cost £10,000 which includes the shutters, the frame of the shop, and two CCTV cameras, tiles, the ceiling and and an overhead gantry.

The insurance company have yet to visit the shop and the work carried out so far has been paid for out of their own pocket. When they claim they worry it will force up the cost of the insurance.

Mother-of-three Mrs Chahal, aged 47, said: "It's disgraceful. We're hard working people just trying to make an honest living. We have bills to pay and kids to feed.

"We have never had a holiday in nine years and we just came back from two weeks holiday. It's heart breaking."

A neighbour phoned them on Monday morning to let them know what had happened and they were there within 15 minutes.

They slept in the car to stop anyone looting the shop after the raid and opened the same day, despite the damage.

The family are extremely grateful for the support and kindness shown by people within the local community.

However, they were concerned that two concrete pillars had been missing from the front of the shop for the last seven months which they said would have protected the business and deterred ram raiders.

The family have even taken to parking a van in front of the shop to protect it.

Mrs Chahal, who has run the business for the last five years, said the shop frontage was only fixed on Thursday (September 1).

She added: "They saw a perfect opportunity. They would not have even thought of this shop if those pillars had been in place."

They understand from a neighbour that the offenders drove forwards into a drive opposite before reversing into the main doors of the shop.

Our photographs show a metal door badly buckled by the impact which also smashed tiles following an unsuccessful attempt to ram through the store's fire door.

Yesterday a cordon made from police tape and shopping trolleys was placed around the damaged door. Homebase remained open to customers.

Photographs supplied by a witness, present at the scene at the time, show substantial damage to the front of the petrol station kiosk at Sainsbury's.

The petrol station in Blackpole was closed yesterday (Friday) morning due to structural damage.

It is believed both ram raids were unsuccessful but that suspects did gain access to the kiosk at the petrol station.

It is understood security measures including smoke were activated at the kiosk.

DI Stu Murphy of Priority CID at West Mercia Police said: "If anyone did see a dark coloured Land Rover vehicle we would be pleased to hear from them.

"It will have extensive damage caused during the ram raids."

A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “We’re helping the police with their enquiries and will work hard to re-open our petrol station as soon as possible.

"Our Blackpole store is serving customers as usual.”

The manager at the store, Kevin Healy, told the Worcester News the garage was closed due to structural damage caused by a third party.

A spokesperson for Homebase said: “Our store is open as normal and we’re helping the police with their ongoing investigation.”

Those with information can contact West Mercia Police on 101, quoting incident reference 70s020916.