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A Birkenhead store was ram-raided by thieves who made off with tools and equipment in a brazen robbery last night.

The Speedy Hire depot on Conway Street was targeted at around 9.20pm, when thieves rammed a white transit van into the shutters of the store.

After shattering the shop windows and leaving the metal shutters caved in, the gang made off with a number of items from the tool hire business.

Mally Rooney, who manages the Birkenhead branch of Speedy Hire, said: "What had happened was about 9.20 last night I got a phone call from the alarm company and one of the local residents around the corner saying that the shop had been ram raided.

"We're on a main road so it's not like it's a quiet area. We think it was a transit van and another car that rammed us.

"The shop was full of bits and pieces - I don't know the full extent of what they took because I need to do a stock check."

Mally said he fears the attack is part of a "spate" of thefts from traders and tool hire businesses across Merseyside.

He said thieves out to make "easy money" target traders' vans and tool hire stores before selling their ill-gotten gains on.

Mally said: "HSS has been done in Rock Ferry and it got done in Liverpool. We've been done, Hire and Safety was done. It's just a spate of this going around. It's leading up to Christmas and it's easy money for them.

"Whatever stuff they've got away with will be in a container by now."

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The Birkenhead store had previously been targeted in 2015 and Mally said he has been at the store all night trying to repair the damage and take stock of what was stolen.

Merseyside Police confirmed officers were called to reports of a ram-raid at the store shortly after 9.20pm yesterday.

In a statement shared with the ECHO, a spokeswoman for the force said: "A number of unknown offenders are believed to have used a white transit van to damage the shutters of the business before entering the store and stealing a number of items.



"Officers are currently undertaking CCTV and forensic analysis to establish the full circumstances of what happened and what was taken."





Chief Inspector Nick Gunatilleke said: “This incident thankfully resulted in no injuries, but the actions of those responsible is clearly worrying and puts members of the public at serious risk.



"We are keen to speak to anyone who saw any suspicious activity in and around Knowles Street last night or if you were passing and have any dashcam footage.

"We are determined to identify those responsible and bring them to justice. Alternatively, if you have seen a white van this morning which isn't usually in your street and may have been abandoned, let us know."

For more advice on securing your business, Merseyside Police offers some targeted guidance here .



Anyone with information that they believe could help with our investigations is urged to DM us @MerPolCC or ring us via 101 quoting crime ref: 18400041060.