MASKED thieves used a stolen mechanical digger in a ram-raid at a petrol station at Linton, near Maidstone.

Police say the digger was used to rip out a cash machine from the Shell petrol station near Linton crossroads.

The raiders then used a pick-up truck and a four-wheel drive car to make their escape. Police later recovered the pick-up truck but not the cash machine.

It is believed that at least three men were involved in the raid shortly before 3am on Friday. They left the digger across the road, causing it to be blocked to traffic for several hours.