A foodstore has reopened after thieves targeted a cash machine in an early morning ram raid.

Norwich Evening News: Police forensics officer dusts the JCB used in the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYPolice forensics officer dusts the JCB used in the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2018)

The attack happened at the East of England Co-op on Norwich Road, New Costessey, on the outskirts of Norwich, just after 4.10am yesterday.

Norwich Evening News: Police forensics officer dusts the JCB used in the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYPolice forensics officer dusts the JCB used in the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2018)

Insp Paul Rush, from Norfolk Police, said: 'The alarm was activated at just after 4.10am. There has been a ram raid there [the East of England Co-op store].

Norwich Evening News: Police at the scene of the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey using a JCB from a nearby building site. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYPolice at the scene of the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey using a JCB from a nearby building site. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

'The target would appear to be the ATM cash machine and investigations have started.'

Norwich Evening News: The ATM is removed from the scene of the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey which is still attached to the stolen JCB from a nearby building site. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe ATM is removed from the scene of the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey which is still attached to the stolen JCB from a nearby building site. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2018)

He added the JCB telehandler that appeared to be used for the raid was still outside the store.

Norwich Evening News: The ATM is removed from the scene of the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey which is still attached to the stolen JCB from a nearby building site. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe ATM is removed from the scene of the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey which is still attached to the stolen JCB from a nearby building site. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

The police inspector would not confirm if the crime was being linked to other ram raids in Norfolk or surrounding counties and it is not clear how much money has been taken.

Norwich Evening News: The ATM is removed from the scene of the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey which is still attached to the stolen JCB from a nearby building site. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe ATM is removed from the scene of the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey which is still attached to the stolen JCB from a nearby building site. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2018)

Insp Rush added it would appear nothing was taken from inside the foodstore and no-one was injured.

Norwich Evening News: Bennett Homes building site where the JCB was taken from and used in the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYBennett Homes building site where the JCB was taken from and used in the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2018)

He appealed for people and potential eyewitnesses in the area to send in dash cam footage to Norfolk Police.

Norwich Evening News: Bennett Homes building site where the JCB was taken from and used in the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYBennett Homes building site where the JCB was taken from and used in the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2018)

Insp Rush said police officers called firefighters after the ram raid but it was unclear if they attended the scene.

Norwich Evening News: Police at the scene of the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey using a JCB from a nearby building site. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYPolice at the scene of the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey using a JCB from a nearby building site. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2018)

At 4.15am on May 26 one crew from Earlham attended Norwich Road in Costessey to reports of a car fire.

Norwich Evening News: Police at the scene of the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey using a JCB from a nearby building site. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYPolice at the scene of the ramraid at the Co-Op at Costessey using a JCB from a nearby building site. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2018)

It is not yet known if this is linked to the ram raid.

Norwich Evening News: A JCB outside the East of England Co-op foodstore where a cash machine was targeted by ram raiders on the morning of Saturday, May 26. Picture: JESSICA O'SHEAA JCB outside the East of England Co-op foodstore where a cash machine was targeted by ram raiders on the morning of Saturday, May 26. Picture: JESSICA O'SHEA (Image: JESSICA O'SHEA)

No-one has been arrested yet for the New Costessey ram raid, according to Insp Rush.

The JCB telehandler belonged to Bennett Homes, a firm building new homes at the nearby Woodlands development off Town House Road, according to a Bennett Homes spokesman.

She said the JCB was between five and 10-years-old and a new model would cost £54,000.

By 11am yesterday, the JCB had been returned to the construction site.

It is understood that the development had been locked overnight, and the suspects used a standard JCB key to take the vehicle, before driving it through an adjacent field.

Jessica O'Shea, who lives close to the shop, first spotted the crime scene at 5.45am on May 26 while on a morning run.

The Costessey resident said: 'They have taken off the back of the shop. There has been an awful lot of damage done. I reckon they might have to take half the building down to restructure it.

'It happened very close to where people live. Some people's cars are very lucky not to have been in contact with the damage.

'It has put me on edge a little bit. I live five minutes away from the shop where there are a lot of JCB diggers doing building work.

'It is quite scary what is going on.'

She added that it looked like the cash machine was still on the site of the store amid the rubble and there had been no money in it when she tried to use it on the evening of May 25.

'Hopefully they didn't get away with anything,' Miss O'Shea added.

She said a community defibrillator had been put up last year next to the cash machine and she thought it looked like it had been damaged in the raid.

Miss O'Shea had also heard reports that an ambulance had been called just after the ram raid from other residents close to the shop.

The crime comes just a few days after a suspect or suspects forced entry into the One Stop in Victoria Road, Taverham, at 2.30am on Wednesday, May 16.

They attempted to steal money from the cash machine inside the building but left empty handed.

In a separate incident, ram raiders stole the cash machine at the One Stop Store and Post Office in Feltwell at around 3am on Monday, April 16.

Anyone with information about the New Costessey ram raid should call Norfolk Police on 101.