THIEVES OUTSIDE MANCHESTER dug a 50ft tunnel under a building to steal cash from an ATM in a local Tesco.

Police say that a “significant amount of cash” was taken and believe that the subterranean burglars may have spent a number of months digging the tunnel.

The cash was actually taken on 14 March when the thieves tunneled under nearby wasteland overnight and into the shop on Liverpool Road in Salford.

There they stole cash boxes containing a substantial sum of money before disappearing back through the tunnel and escaping with the cash.

Greater Manchester Police say that they may have spent a number of months digging the tunnel because of the amount of planning that was involved and complex nature of the tunnel structure.

(Pic: Greater Manchester Police)

“These people had obviously spent a long time plotting this crime and I doubt they would have been able to keep their plans secret for all that time, without telling others about their elaborate scheme, ” said investigating officer Mark Toker.

The offenders must have spent long periods of time in the area over the last few months, which people may have noticed. You may have seen people acting suspiciously on Friday night, possibly covered in soil.

Police are to hold a briefing for local journalists at the scene this morning but have warned that “for safety reasons no-one will be permitted into the tunnel”.

Read: Great Train Robbery’s Ronnie Biggs dies, aged 84 >

Read: Man arrested in connection with book theft at National Library >

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