A quiet market town woke to blue lights, road closures and a gaping hole where a high street fixture stood.
In the small hours in Horncastle, a Lloyds Bank cash machine was torn from a wall after a stolen JCB appeared on High Street. Officers arrived within minutes of a 02:50 BST call-out and began a major hunt for suspects believed to have fled in a second vehicle, possibly a pickup.
What happened on High Street
Lincolnshire Police said a stolen JCB was used to prise the ATM from the façade of Lloyds Bank on High Street. The force reported significant damage to the building and put road closures in place while forensic teams examined the scene and made the area safe for the public. The JCB is thought to have been taken from nearby shortly before the raid.
02:50 BST on High Street: a JCB, believed stolen locally, rips an ATM from Lloyds Bank; suspects leave in a second vehicle; roads closed as forensics work through the morning.
Detective Inspector Paul Sands called the incident unusual for Horncastle. He said the town should expect a visible police presence and asked residents to contact officers with any new information. The investigation is at an early stage, with multiple lines of enquiry under way.
Police have not confirmed whether any cash was taken. The force is assessing structural damage and gathering CCTV from around the town.
A second vehicle and a stolen digger
Officers believe at least two vehicles featured in the raid. The JCB did the heavy work. A second vehicle, possibly a pickup, appears to have been used as a getaway. That pattern mirrors several rural ATM attacks in recent years where stolen plant machinery is abandoned and the accompanying vehicle disappears at speed across back roads.
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Time | About 02:50 BST, Saturday |
| Place | Lloyds Bank, High Street, Horncastle |
| Method | ATM wrenched from wall using a stolen JCB |
| Vehicles | JCB believed stolen nearby; suspects thought to have left in a second vehicle, possibly a pickup |
| Damage | Police described “significant” structural damage |
| Investigation | Road closures, forensics at scene, appeals for witnesses and footage |
Police response and appeal
DI Sands said a large number of officers have been deployed to the scene and the surrounding area. The team is collecting doorbell footage, dashcam files, and business CCTV. Officers want to hear from anyone who saw a JCB moving late at night or an unfamiliar pickup travelling at speed.
Officers ask for dashcam and CCTV from 01:30 to 04:00 BST in and around Horncastle, especially routes linking farms, industrial yards and the High Street.
- Report sightings of a JCB on local roads in the hours before 02:50 BST.
- Share dashcam or doorbell footage covering the High Street, West Street, Louth Road and rural cut-throughs.
- Note unusual noises overnight, such as clanking plant machinery or a truck idling.
- Tell police about suspicious interest in banks or plant equipment in recent days.
- If you run a yard, check for missing tools, fuel or machinery that might link to the raid.
Police at the cordon are available for residents who feel unsettled. The force says the town remains safe and that visible patrols will continue while searches and forensic work proceed.
Why thieves use diggers against ATMs
Ram-raids with stolen plant machinery offer speed and brute force. An ATM fixed into a wall can resist hand tools, but a digger’s bucket can defeat masonry in seconds. Rural locations bring quiet roads, few night-time witnesses, and long stretches to escape. The downside for thieves is noise, debris and a bulky, traceable machine left at the scene.
Gangs usually want to be in and out in minutes. They may burn out or dump the second vehicle. The stolen digger is often abandoned. Investigators then track soil, paint transfers, hydraulic fluid, and distinctive tyre impressions. Modern ATMs carry dye packs and GPS trackers for cassettes, which reduce the chance of profiting even if the safe door gives way.
Risks to buildings and bystanders
Attacks like this do more than take cash. A torn-out machine can destabilise a frontage, disrupt utilities and scatter glass and brick into the street. Flying debris risks injuries. Emergency services must check for gas leaks and ensure no secondary collapse. Business owners nearby face closures until surveyors declare the area safe.
How Horncastle residents can help today
Check cameras now. Save files from 01:30 to 04:00 BST and avoid overwriting footage. If you find something relevant, do not post it on social media. Hand it to officers so suspects are not tipped off. If tyre marks or debris appear outside your property, photograph them without disturbing the ground and let police know. Make brief notes while memories are fresh: times, directions of travel, sounds, vehicle colours, and any partial registrations.
Farmers and contractors should inspect plant yards. Confirm whether keys, immobilisers and trackers remain secure. If a machine is missing or moved, report it immediately and provide serial numbers. The CESAR marking scheme, immobilisers and geofencing help officers link abandoned plant to a theft scene.
Security, insurance and what banks change after a raid
Banks tend to harden sites after an attack. Measures include reinforced surrounds, deep-set safes, anti-ram bollards, fogging systems, cash-staining devices and more frequent emptying of machines. These steps raise the time and noise needed to succeed, which deters repeat hits. Insurers assess structural integrity and may require temporary boards, guarding and night patrols until permanent repairs finish.
Local businesses can take simple steps. Keep shutters down and interiors dark at night to prevent thieves seeing a clear approach route. Remove portable hazards outside, such as bins or scaffolding, that could become battering tools. Maintain lighting that helps cameras capture faces without blinding glare.
What charges suspects could face
An ATM ram-raid can attract a long list of offences: burglary, criminal damage, theft of a motor vehicle, handling stolen goods, dangerous driving and conspiracy. Sentences rise with organised activity, use of stolen plant, and risk to the public. Courts also order compensation for building repairs and business interruption where evidence supports losses.
A short guide to plant theft risks and defences
Construction and agricultural kit remains a target because it holds value and can be moved quickly. Thieves often strike at night, aiming for loaders, telehandlers and diggers with keys left on-site. Owners reduce risk with layered defences: locked compounds, wheel or boom locks, hidden isolators, movement alerts, and visible ID markings. Keeping accurate serial number records speeds recovery and insurance claims.
Horncastle now faces the clean-up and the questions that follow any jarring night-time raid. The investigation will pivot on images, tyre marks, tool traces and the path the JCB took into town. Residents who share what they saw or saved on their cameras can shorten that path and help officers find the people behind the wheel.
Does anyone have the Lincs Police incidnet ref? I’ve got doorbell video from 02:41–02:58 on High Street showing a dark pickup flooring it. Who do I email to share it privately? The guidance says don’t tip off suspects, but the portal link is unclear.