Thieves used gas to blow a cash machine out of the wall of a convenience store before making off with the money.

Police were called out to shops in Kestrel Road, Lordswood, at about 3.45am after reports a cash machine had been damaged.

It is unclear at this stage how much money has been stolen by the raiders, and police are still at the scene.

VIDEO: Hole blown out of convenience store after cash machine targeted. Ben Kennedy reports

The cash machine targeted is at the Tesco Express store and suffered substantial fire and structural damage during the raid.

The front doors of the store also look like they have been blown out and gas canisters can been seen by the side of the store this morning.

Above the doors, the Tesco store sign has also suffered damaged as a result of fire.

The raid bears similar hallmarks of raids carried out by a Merseyside gang who were locked up for more than 100 years for carrying out 31 raids at cash machines stealing more almost £800,000 in 2014.

The gang’s tactics, only seen before in mainland Europe, involved forcing open the machine with a crowbar and inserting a pipe with a mixture of gases which was then ignited with a flame - often matches taped to a wire - to cause the explosion.

Coincidently, the ram-raiders crimewave was featured on national TV on just two days ago.

The gang featured on The Prosecutors: Real Crime and Punishment, which began on Wednesday, at 9pm on BBC4.

Police have confirmed gas was used and firefighters were called out to the raid to assist police.

A spokesman said: “Kent Police received a report of damage to a cash machine in Kestrel Road, Chatham, at 3.45am.

“Inquiries are ongoing.”