A cash machine has been forcibly removed from a building adjacent to a funeral directors in Halstead, Essex, leaving a substantial void in the structure and scattering debris across the high street. The theft occurred at approximately 01:50 BST, according to Essex Police.
Officers attending the scene discovered a vehicle that remained running at the location. According to local reporting, the machine used in the raid was identified as a telehandler, believed to be a Matbro lifting truck, and the ATM taken was a NatWest unit. The damage was described as a massive hole in the wall, with rubble strewn across the surrounding area.
No arrests have been made at this stage. Essex Police have confirmed that officers spoke with multiple witnesses at the scene and are continuing to appeal for information from anyone who may have captured footage of the incident or have other relevant details to share.
The high street was temporarily closed following the incident but has since reopened. A forensic team was photographed examining the scene, indicating an active technical investigation into the theft.
Craig Collier, chief operating officer at Daniel Robinson & Sons funeral home, explained that he was alerted by the firm's out-of-hours service in the early morning and arrived at the location shortly before 08:00 to find the debris scattered across the road.
The funeral home wasn't damaged - this was a building that was connected but entirely separate, it was there really just to support the cash machine.
Collier reflected on the brazen nature of the theft, noting that the perpetrators would have been aware of the funeral home's presence in the area.
It's very difficult to put yourself in the minds of them [the thieves] but it's not hard to see that it is a funeral home. It would have been fairly clear to them what they are doing.
He emphasised the funeral home's commitment to serving the community despite the incident.
We just want to reassure everybody we're still here to look after the community - we've already done that with all the families we are calling for.
Local residents expressed shock and distress at the incident. Some linked the raid to a similar previous theft in the town, highlighting a pattern of such crimes in the area. In 2018, Halstead experienced a ram-raid that destroyed the front of a Co-op store, demonstrating that the town has faced cash-machine-related theft before. That earlier case involved multiple men and several vehicles, underlining the organised nature of some ATM thefts in Essex.
What happens next?
Essex Police continue to seek witnesses and any footage from the area as their enquiries progress. Members of the public with information are urged to contact the force directly.
Key Facts
- The incident occurred at approximately 01:50 BST on the Halstead high street
- A telehandler vehicle was used to remove a NatWest ATM from an adjacent building
- The high street was temporarily closed but has since reopened and the scene has been cleared
- No arrests have been made, but officers have spoken to multiple witnesses
- Halstead has experienced similar cash-machine-related thefts previously, including a 2018 ram-raid on a Co-op store
