FORENSICS officers are examining a 4x4 car in a bid to catch a ram-raid gang who tried to steal a cash machine.

The raiders struck 2.13am yesterday morning at the North Street Garage in Manor Road, Haverhill.

Police were alerted to reports of a red Daihatsu Fourtrak pulling the doors off the front of the business, which was closed at the time.

An attempt was made to break into the case machine but was unsuccessful.

At around 3.30am, officers found the Daihatsu abandoned outside Haverhill Golf Club.

It is not known how many raiders were involved or which direction they went in after ditching the car.

The vehicle has been seized by police for forensic examination and scenes of crime officers are also at the garage gathering evidence.

A police spokesman said: “Scenes of crime officers have examined the petrol station and we’re looking at CCTV and are speaking to a number of witnesses.”

Police have not ruled out a possible connection between the latest incident and similar ones elsewhere in west Suffolk in which thieves have made of with, or tried to make off with, cash machines.

A six-figure sum was stolen from Lloyds TSB branch in High Street Lakenheath on March 30 after thieves broke into the bank and cut open the loading door of the cash machine.

Days before that, balaclava-clad raiders rammed a forklift truck into a cashpoint outside Tesco in Sudbury. Damage valued at more than �5,000 was caused to the Springlands Way store in the raid.

The spokesman said: “In respect of the other incidents, officers are aware of all three and looking at them together, to establish if there are any links between them.”

Anyone who saw the Haverhill raid or the vehicle involved, or who has any information, is asked to contact Suffolk police on 01473 613500.