Ram-raiders hit cashpoint in Backwell

A Backwell wine merchant predicted problems with the new village cashpoint which was ram-raided on New Year's Day.

Raiders used two stolen vehicles to attack the automated HSBC bank at Rodney Road only weeks after it was installed on December 7.

Planning permission for the ATM and BT telephone box was granted in October 2010 despite objections from Backwell Parish Council and several residents including Aimee Davies, owner of Aimee's Wine House.

All feared vandalism and worse.

North Somerset Council approved the controversial Tardis-style kiosk to be built on the pavement outside a rank of shops but where concerned about crime prevention.

The district council requested information about CCTV but it is not known whether it was installed.

Aimee Davies, aged 25, said in her letter of objection said: "The area is not lit at night and may result in injury and criminal activity."

Her mother Dawn Davies, 48, arrived for work on New Year's Day to discover a scene of destruction.

She said: "When I pulled up for work on the bank holiday Monday there was glass everywhere and the kiosk was boarded-up.

"Lots of people came running out to tell me the news – more local people came in the shop that day to talk about the incident than we had customers."

Dawn believes the raid was 'planned' to coincide with the New Year fireworks at midnight.

She said: "Villagers told me the raiders hit it dead on midnight using two vehicles stolen from Backwell Motors.

"They used one as a battering ram and another as a getaway."

But the raiders escaped empty-handed leaving behind one damaged vehicle.

Dawn said: "We knew the cashpoint was empty because people were coming in on New Year's Eve asking for cashback and saying there was no money in the ATM.

"We were told the kiosk is armoured plated and the money stored underground so they wouldn't have got anything even if it had been full.

"We started giving cashback when people said they felt vulnerable out there in the road, its unlit, you couldn't see the get cash at night...we needed something in the rural area 24hrs but not like this."

The impact of the ramming broke shelves of bottles in the wine shop which were strewn everywhere, added Dawn.

HSBC installed the cash point in a kiosk after closing its village branch in November.

The nearest alternative 24-hour cash points are at Nailsea and Yatton.

HSBC closed the bank, which only opened four hours a day, due to a drop in customer numbers.

A spokesman said: "The ATM at Backwell was attacked by two vehicles on New Year's Day and was badly damaged. They did not access any money.

"Our security people are looking at the overall damage and the ATM will be out of action while we decide whether a replacement will be put there."

Police are asking for anyone with information to contact 101 or Crimestoppers on  0800 555 111.

A spokesman said: "The offenders pulled off the front of the cashpoint and left one vehicle at scene."