A gang of ram-raiders have used a stolen crane to smash their way into a petrol station.

The Shell garage off the Old Thanet Way at Chestfield, near Whitstable, was targeted in the early hours of this morning.

Those responsible are believed to have stolen a large flatbed lorry with the crane attached from an industrial estate in Ashford.

VIDEO: A crane was used in the raid.

They used the crane to knock a hole through a brick wall, gaining access into a storage area at the service station.

But the would-be burglars fled empty-handed, with nothing reported missing following the three-minute ram-raid shortly after 2am.

Two men were seen racing away from the scene along the Old Thanet Way towards Herne Bay in a dark-coloured saloon car, possibly a BMW.

The driver of the car is described as having blond hair and in his late 20s or early 30s. He and his passenger were both white and wearing white t-shirts.

Investigating officer DC Dave Wells said: “‘We are appealing for witnesses who may have seen people acting suspiciously in the area or who have any information about the incident to contact us.

“There is a 24-hour drive-through restaurant close by, and we ask anyone who was using the restaurant at around 2am on Tuesday to cast their minds back to see if they saw any suspicious activity in the vicinity of the service station.

“We would also like to hear from anyone who saw a flatbed lorry with a crane on the back anywhere between Ashford and Chestfield that night.”

The lorry is believed to have been stolen from a business on the Cobbswood Industrial Estate in Brunswick Road, Ashford.

Anyone with information should call police on 01843 222289, or Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111, quoting reference number ZY/2997/16.