A ram raid involving an earth digger is believed to be the work of a gang who have been attacking cash machines across south Oxfordshire.

The digger was used to steal a substantial amount of cash from an ATM machine at HSBC, High Street, Goring, at about 3am on Sunday. The digger was stolen from Calcot, near Reading, on Thursday.

The quantity of cash taken has not been disclosed.

Detectives have linked the ram raid to incidents in Berinsfield, Benson, Cholsey and Chalgrove, where vehicles have been driven into ATM machines in an attempt to steal money.

Dc Shane Harrison, of Didcot CID, said: "I appeal to anyone who knows who is responsible for these thefts, which have caused a lot of damage to the buildings, or have seen people acting suspiciously around the time of the incidents, to contact police immediately."

A stolen Mitsubishi pick-up vehicle was driven into the wall of Cost Cutters in Berinsfield between 2.45am and 3.15am on Wednesday. Thieves escaped empty-handed.

At about 5am on February 20, offenders attempted to steal cash by driving an earth digger into an ATM machine at Tesco Express in Cholsey. The digger was stolen from Crisp Road in Henley.

A stolen Mitsubishi Shogun, from Cheltenham, was used in a bid to steal cash from a cash machine at the BP Garage, Benson, at about 2.30am on February 15. A Chrysler Jeep was driven into a cash machine at a village shop in Chalgrove High Street. Offenders stole cash, shortly before 2am on January 26.

Anyone with information should call Dc Harrison on 08458 505505, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 anonymously.