POLICE are hunting ram-raiders who used a car to steal a cash machine from a village post office.

A gang of six or seven men wearing hooded tops and armed with crowbars were involved in the raid at about 3am on Wednesday at the post office in Knockholt Road, Halstead, near Sevenoaks.

The incident brings the number of ram raids around Kent to 42 in the last six years. The last one was at Longfield, near Gravesend, earlier this month.

Police, who are appealing for witnesses to incident, are trying to trace two Mitsubishi Shogun 4x4 cars seen at the scene, one of which was silver and was reversed into the post office.

The free-standing cash machine contained a small amount of money. No one was hurt, but detectives say the post office was badly damaged.

After the gang removed the cash machine, they left in the cars which were seen turning right into Halstead Badgers Mount. One of the vehicles had a chain or towrope hanging from it.

A crowbar was found at the scene, but the cash machine has not been recovered.

Det Insp Bert Short said: “Police are keen to speak to anyone who may have information on the suspects or vehicles."

You can contact Kent Police on 01732 379160 or call Kent Crimestoppers free and anonymously on 0800 555 111 with anything of interest.