SIX men have been arrested in connection to a cash machine raid at Barclays bank on Dewhurst Road.

In a large scale operation, police swooped on six addresses in Liverpool, Coventry and Newton-le-Willows today, Tuesday, and arrested the gang.

The men, aged between 27 and 39, were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary and causing explosions.

They have been linked to 30 burglaries and attempted burglaries at ATMs across the country.

One raid happened at Barclays in Birchwood where entry was forced to the closed bank and cash stolen at 1.50am on September 27.

Merseyside Police’s Matrix team, the West Midlands Regional and Organised Crime Unit, and the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, carried out the operation. 

DS Chris Green, said: "We have used all the resources available to us, including technology and forensics, as part of our investigation and I would like to send a message out to those who commit these types of crime and think they can get away with it.

"Police forces will work together and will do everything in their power to identify those responsible.

"Offenders may believe that by committing crimes in different force areas that they can escape arrest, but forces do work together regardless of boundaries to bring people to justice.

"Some of the techniques used by offenders in these crimes are extremely dangerous and we are fortunate that no-one has been hurt.

"The people who commit this type of offence are motivated by greed and want to line their pockets, but if they think they can get away with this on Merseyside they can think again."

Kurt Beddoes, aged 31, from Liverpool and Ian Ellis, aged 29, from Rainhill, have already been charged in connection to the Culcheth raid.

They appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, with a next date due to be set.