Treharris Co-op ram raid: Thousands stolen from cashpoint

Thousands of pounds were stolen after a vehicle was driven in to the front of the Co-op store in Treharris

Six people have been arrested after thousands of pounds was stolen in a ram raid on a cash machine at a convenience store.

A vehicle was driven into the front of the Co-op store in Treharris, Merthyr Tydfil, at 00:30 BST.

South Wales Police said five men and a woman are in custody.

It is the second attack on a Co-op store in the past six weeks following a similar raid less than 20 miles away in Garndiffaith, Torfaen on 1 April.

Pictures on social media show extensive damage to the front of the store in Fox Street, Treharris.

The Co-op said the store would be back to normal by Wednesday

All six of those arrested are from the Gwent area.

The store was closed for repairs on Tuesday morning but the company said it would be back to normal by Wednesday.

The Co-op is installing extra security measures in some of its stores in Wales including "fog cannons", which obscure vision and squirt spray which provides evidence linking criminals and stolen goods to crimes.

"We would like to thank the police for the speed of their response. The store has now re-opened to serve the community," a Co-op spokeswoman added.

"As a community-based organisation we see the impact of social issues in our stores, and we're committed to working together with police and other bodies, doing all we can to protect colleagues and make our communities safer."

Police have asked anyone with information to contact them.