THIEVES who stole tens of thousands of pounds from a cash machine will be unable to spend the money as it has been coated in purple dye.A gang targeted the Ardleigh Service Station in Colchester Road, Ardleigh, at 1.

By Annie Davidson

THIEVES who stole tens of thousands of pounds from a cash machine will be unable to spend the money as it has been coated in purple dye.

A gang targeted the Ardleigh Service Station in Colchester Road, Ardleigh, at 1.10am yesterday.

They used a disc-cutter to access the machine which was free-standing outside the garage in a metal container.

They then wrenched the machine from the container using chains and a stolen Mitsubishi Shogun jeep.

However, a security device in the machine caused an explosion of purple dye which was found on the forecourt of the garage and would also have covered the money and the thieves.

Pc Chris Phillips, of Mistley police, said there were believed to be four or five people involved in the theft.

They made off down Dead Lane, Ardleigh, but after that it is not known which direction they went in.

The jeep, which was stolen from Newmarket on Tuesday, was abandoned on the service station forecourt. It is not known which make the getaway vehicle was.

There were tens of thousands of pounds in the cash machine, which itself was worth £10,000 and there was £4,000 of damage to the cash machine container.

Pc Phillips said: “I would be very keen to hear from anybody who drove past the garage and saw what was happening.

“We also have very vague details about the getaway car and would like to hear from anyone with information.

“It is likely the people involved will have purple dye on their hands which I understand is very hard to get off so if anyone has information about people with that I would like to hear from them.”

The garage, which is close to the Wooden Fender pub, was open for business yesterday