Detectives investigating a burglary at a petrol station in Weyhill have issued CCTV footage of the incident as part of a safety message.
Just before 4am on Sunday, March 31, officers were called to the Texaco petrol station on Amesbury Road, Weyhill near Andover after a resident reported hearing a loud bang.
On arrival, officers found a stand alone cashpoint on the forecourt had been blown open and money from inside stolen.
Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Murray said: “Although this was a relatively contained explosion and fortunately no-one was injured, the unpredictable nature of this type of offence means we could easily have been dealing with serious injury or death.
“Our priority is to keep the public safe and by showing this CCTV footage, we hope it highlights how potentially dangerous an explosion of this type can be.
“We are aware of crimes of this nature occurring in mainland Europe which have had serious consequences and our advice to anyone using a cashpoint is to be extremely vigilant of any suspicious activity nearby.
“If you notice anything unusual, or see any wires or cables running from the machine, do not attempt to touch it and call the police immediately.”
Detectives are following up a number of enquiries and continue to appeal for any information that can assist with the investigation.
Anyone with any information should contact detectives at Andover Police Station by phoning 101. Mini-Com users can call the police on 01962 875000. Information can be given anonymously by calling the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.