Thieves stole a cash machine in a ram raid at the Murco service station in Borstal Hill, Whitstable

Thieves have stolen a cash machine in an early-morning ram raid on a petrol station today.

CCTV footage shows a gang in a white box van reversing into the free-standing machine at the Murco filling station in Borstal Hill, Whitstable, shortly after 3am.

The garage is cordoned off this morning as police forensics officers investigate the daring raid.

It is not known how much money was inside the cash machine.

Police at the scene of the ram raid at Murco in Borstal Hill, Whitstable

Garage owner Gnana Selvajeevan, 38, said: "The raiders were first caught on our CCTV cameras at about 12.45am knocking out our security lights.

"They then returned shortly after 3am and reversed their van repeatedly into the cash machine before loading it up and taking it away.

"The whole thing only lasted five minutes. But fortunately it was a free standing machine so the building itself wasn't damaged.

Garage owner Gnana Selvajeevan outside the Murco filling station in Borstal Hill, Whitstable.

"They obviously didn't care about the noise they were making even though people live close by.

"But having to shut the garage while the police do their job is obviously costing me money, especially on a Friday when we are usually very busy in the mornings."