Police cordon off Tesco Kidlington

The supermarket in Kidlington High Street was cordoned off throughout this morning, following the raid in the early hours.

A charred hole in the wall and mangled mess of wires were visible where the ATM used to be, with debris and shattered glass littering the ground.

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The shop had reopened by this afternoon but one customer said there was a 'ghastly burnt smell throughout the whole store'.

Thames Valley Police officers were called at 4.55am to reports of the burglary, but no arrests have been made yet.

The attempt seems to have been unsuccessful, as the force does not believe that anything was stolen.

Martin Hepworth pictured firefighters surrounding the store shortly after their arrival on scene, below, and said he saw 'plenty of smoke in there'.

Previous raids elsewhere have seen burglars set fire to the machines or blow them up using gas, but police have not yet disclosed the method attempted in Kidlington.

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Part of the automatic door at the shop's exit had been damaged, with two holes in the glass pane as if it had been hit.

Shoppers arriving to buy groceries expressed their shock, with passers-by and people at the bus stop outside stopping to take photos.

One man, who was waiting to board a bus outside, said he was surprised that the attempt had been made in such a busy area with flats, houses and businesses in the immediate vicinity.

Another Kidlington resident said High Street is usually 'dead' after the shops and pub close, and that it would have been very quiet at the time the burglars struck.

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He added: "I came home from seeing a friend at about 11pm and it [the ATM] was still there when I passed.

"It's honestly dead quiet here at that time, there's just the delivery vans and night buses. We don't even get kids hanging around."

One woman, clutching empty carrier bags, described the scene as 'crazy' and said she would have to return tomorrow to do her shopping.

A trader who works nearby added: "I've never seen anything like it."

According to Link, the UK's largest network of cash machines, the ATM belongs to the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Oxfordshire has seen more than 20 ATM raids in the past couple of years, with supermarkets and garages often the target.

Read our updated list of the stores targeted

Thieves have used everything from forklift trucks to gas explosions to try to break them free, with varying degrees of success.

Police have not yet confirmed if the Kidlington incident is thought to be linked to any of the others. 

When asked how the cash machine was damaged, the force said investigation was ongoing.

A spokesperson said: "Officers attended the scene where damage had been caused to the front of the building and the cash machine.

"An investigation is ongoing and a scene watch was in place."

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Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was contacted for further details but said police would be providing information.

A Tesco Bank spokesperson said:“We are actively supporting the police with their investigation following the incident at our Kidlington store.

"The store was closed for a brief period of time but has now reopened to serve our customers. We intend on having the ATM back in service as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information can call 101, quoting reference 43200021126.