Thief causes train delays after breaking into ATM with stolen crane
Hapless thief, 43, causes severe train delays after damaging crew depot while trying to break into supermarket ATM with a stolen crane
- The man, 43, from Ashford, Middlesex, has now been detained after a foot chase
- On top of ASLEF strike action disruption is expected to continue into afternoon
A blundering robber, 43, caused severe train delays after damaging a crew depot building while trying to break into a supermarket ATM with a stolen crane.
Sussex Police said officers were called earlier to a building site after receiving reports that a small crane had been stolen in Yapton Road.
Response units then came across a JCB cherry picker 'attempting to steal an ATM' from a Co-op opposite Barnham railway station.
The 43-year-old man from Ashford, Middlesex, has now been detained after a short foot chase and remains in custody.
The Barnham train crew depot, which is a major personnel and equipment hub for drivers and on-train staff, was structurally damaged and had to be evacuated for safety reasons according to Southern Railway.
Sussex Police response units came across a JCB cherry picker 'attempting to steal an ATM' from a Co-op opposite Barnham railway station
This in turn meant that a large number of train crew were unable to start work this morning which severely affected services throughout the west coast area.
On top of that, the ASLEF union's planned strike action throughout this week has additionally affected services run by Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express.
With trains between Chichester to London Bridge being cancelled, disruption is expected to continue into the afternoon, National Rail revealed.
A Sussex Police spokesperson said: 'Police arrested a man in Barnham on Tuesday morning (4 July) after stopping an aggravated burglary in progress at a supermarket.
'Officers had been called to a building site in Yapton Road at around 2.15am to reports of a small crane having been stolen.
'Response units were deployed to nearby cash machines and came across a crane attempting to steal an ATM from a supermarket in Barnham Road.
'The driver of the crane, a 43-year-old man from Ashford, Middlesex, was detained after a short foot chase and arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle and criminal damage. He remains in custody at this time.
'A white Volvo XC60 was also seen to leave the scene.
Staff gather outside the train depot which is a major personnel and equipment hub for drivers and on-train staff
'Anyone who witnessed the incident, or has any information or footage that could help, is asked to contact police online or via 101, quoting serial 1624 of 03/07.'
A statement on Southern Railway's website read: 'Due to the police dealing with an incident near the railway in the Barnham area, fewer trains will run on all Southern routes between Brighton, Littlehampton, Portsmouth, and Southampton Central.
'Your journey will take up to 60 minutes longer than usual, and you may need to use an alternative route to reach your destination.
'Southern services which normally split at Horsham and run direct to Bognor Regis have been cancelled.'