Three arrested after early morning raid

Three arrested after early morning raid

20 November 2019

THREE men were arrested in Saintfield yesterday on suspicion of involvement with the failed bulldozer ATM raid in Ballynahinch.

The men are aged 24, 25 and 26 respectively and remain in custody.

Carlisles’ service station on the Belfast Road was targeted in the early hours of Monday morning.

The three men were arrested in the Saintfield area on suspicion of burglary, criminal damage endangering life with intent and aggravated vehicle taking causing damage to property. 

Detective Inspector Darren Handley said: “The attempted ATM theft in Ballynahinch caused serious damage to the petrol station, which will have a significant economic impact on the business.

“A vital community resource that allows people to access cash instantly has also been impacted.”

The officer also thanked the community for its patience after the widespread impact on the local public.

The Belfast Road was closed in both directions throughout the day, causing widespread traffic disruption.

Carlisles’ confirmed last night that they hope to open the shop on Friday and have thanked everyone for their help and support The damage bill is estimated by manager Christopher Molloy running as high as £100,000.

The petrol pumps are likely to be out of action for some time as they were severely damaged when the forecourt canopy collapsed during the early morning raid.

A bulldozer, believed to have been stolen from a nearby quarrry, caused extensive damage to the outside and interior of the store.

Dramatic store CCTV footage showed the bulldozer hitting into a forecourt pillar canopy which caused it to collapse at one end, destroying petrol pumps.

While the raiders did not succeed in taking the ATM, they did make off with some cash tills and a quantity of cigarettes.

The bulldozer was abandoned nearby by the gang as they made their getaway.

Police said that a silver Volkswagen Passat car with a trailer was spotted at the scene.

A car matching that deion was found on fire in Queen’s Park, Saintfield, at 6.55am.

The business is owned by William, David and Donna Carlisle, who employ 70 full-time and part-time staff.

It’s understood that the alarm was raised by Mr Carlisle who tried to stop the raiders when he arrived at the store to investigate. 

Locals reported hearing considerable noise and a lot of commotion around the forecourt from 5.20am onwards.

Mrs Carlisle spoke of the couple’s shock and distress on learning of the attack on the long-established business.

“They just rammed the front of the shop trying to get to the ATM and then they went into the shop — they took tills, took cigarettes,” she said.

“Then in a kerfuffle at the end, the digger went into the canopy and the whole lot came down.

“Thankfully no-one was hurt. A lot of people work there, they’ll be out of work until we know it’s going to be sorted.”

She added: “It’s devastating, you build a thing up and then somebody can just take it away from you.”

Mr Molloy, told the Recorder on Monday that he and his team spent the day trying to get the store cleared as soon as possible.

“We were more interested today in getting the place cleaned and cleared up and trying to take an inventory,” he said.

“We have no idea when we can open again as damage was quite severe and it will be a lengthy process. We have been left without pumps, with no canopy and there’s a big hole in the shop.

“The pumps are destroyed and some of them are dislodged from their units they stand on. Luckily there was no fuel going to them as we shut the fuel off at night.”

He continued: “You are probably talking about damage costing to close to £100,000 as the canopy alone is a very expensive item.

“We are looking at the possibility of re-opening as a store as soon as we can but need to talk to builders tomorrow and will then make an assessment.”

He spoke of the wider impact of the raid and added: “There are people who wanted to come to work today and are now unsure about whether they are working the rest of the week. 

“We have customers who depend on us and then there’s the disruption to the town and traffic. Those behind it have showed no regard for anyone.”

The failed raid was the second one in the early hours of Monday morning as a gang succeeded in stealing an ATM from a premise on the Saintfield Road in Belfast. 

Detective Inspector Richard Thornton said: “Our investigations into both of these incidents are at a very early stage, and it is unclear at this time if they are linked.   

“This was a brazen and despicable attack by those involved who have caused serious disruption to the business affected and to its customers.”

He appealed for anyone travelling on the Belfast Road on Monday morning between 5:15am and 5:30am, and who saw a Silver Passat, or who believes they saw this car travelling towards Saintfield between 5:30am and 7am,  to get in touch with police on 101, quoting reference numbers 181 of 18/11/19.

The attempted raid has been widely condemned.

Strangford MP Jim Shannon said: “This was a reckless act with no regard for the owners of Carlisle Fresh Foods or their 70 employees. Carlisles offer employment and opportunity for Ballynahinch and it is vitally important that those responsible are caught and punished appropriately.”

South Down MP Chris Hazzard condemned the raid as “wanton criminality” and added: “I would call on the public to remain vigilant, particularly with regard to the movement of heavy machinery at night and to report anything suspicious.”

Cllr Terry Andrews, deputy chairman of Newry, Mourne and Down Council, and DUP councillor Billy Walker voiced their condemnation and urged anyone with information to contact the police.

Cllr Walker said: “I  welcome the early arrests of three men as I believe that those behind it have local connections. Attacks like these have to stop as that’s the second incident on ATMs in Ballynahinch in the last year and a half as we had the ATM theft at the Donard Service Station on the Crossgar Road.”

Cllr Andrews added: “Local people and business people are appalled at what happened at Carlisles. This is just awful and will impact on both the owners and employees just ahead of Christmas and the wider local community.”

Strangford MLA Peter Weir also said he was “disgusted” by what happened.

“This is a dreadful crime which leaves victims throughout the community. Carlisle’s shop and garage has a long standing record of service to the local community,” he said.

Retail NI also condemned the attempted ATM robbery at Carlisle’s, which was described as one of the town’s major employers.

Chief executive Glyn Roberts said: “Words fail to describe my anger at this disgraceful attempted ATM robbery on one of our members. 

“This has caused extensive damage to one of Ballynahinch’s largest retailers in the run-up to Christmas. 

“This is an independent retailer, who provides an invaluable service to the local community, awakened from his sleep to be told his business is smashed up.”