THE PSNI HAS launched an investigation after an ATM was stolen from a filling station in Co Armagh overnight.

The incident occurred at a filling station on the Portadown Road in Richhill, Co Armagh in the early hours of this morning.

According to the PSNI, a report of suspicious activity was received at 4.45am this morning.

When officers arrived at the scene, a digger was on fire and the ATM had been pulled from the wall, causing “substantial” damage to the filling station.

“Two men were observed wearing dark clothing as they placed the ATM into a trailer and then set fire to the digger before leaving in a white van towards the Portadown Road,” Detective Inspector Handley said in a statement.

The PSNI currently believe that the digger was stolen from a building site a short distance away from the filling station.

The fire itself was extinguished by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.

The van, trailer and ATM have all since been recovered by the PSNI, with a “full investigation” underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the theft.

“I am appealing to anyone who was in the area between 4.30am and 4.45am and saw what happened, or who has information which could assist our investigation to call us,” Handley added.

“In particular, I am appealing to anyone who saw a white van towing a trailer in the Portadown Road and Moy Road areas to get in touch with detectives by calling 101, quoting reference 183 of 20/12/22.”

There had previously been a spate of ATM robberies in 2019 and early 2020, with Gardaí believing that they were being carried out by a cross-border gang.