Scenes of Crime officers were at the Co-op in Bolnore Village today(Monday) after what police are describing as a ‘ram raid’ at the store.
The supermarket was closed and sealed off to the public with police tape while investigations were underway.
The raid happened in the very early hours of the morning - at about 0025am, today, Monday.
Two vehicles were used to smash into the shop and a Santander ATM was stolen from inside.
Detective Constable Penny Furtado from West Sussex CID said: “We are grateful to local residents who heard suspicious noises and called 999. Unfortunately, the suspects had fled the scene with the contents of the cash machine when officers arrived.
“Local enquiries are on-going and CCTV from the store and surrounding area is currently being viewed.
“I would appeal to anyone who has information no matter how relevant they think it is to please get in touch. You can call 101 quoting serial 14 of 4 or alternatively leave an anonymous message with the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 111 555.”
It is believed four men wearing balaclavas carried out the robbery using a Cherokee Jeep and also a flat bed van
The shop door was badly damaged with its glass panels shattered before the building was entered. Detectives say a cash machine was then grabbed from inside the store.
A spokesperson for the Co-op declined to say how much money was in the cash machine.
She said the store would reopen after the police had finished their work and repairs had been completed.
Police are appealing for any information about the incident. Anyone who saw or heard anything is asked to contact Sussex Police on 101 quoting serial 0014 of 04/03/2013.
Bolnore Village is the housing estate of several thousand homes built by Crest Nicholson off Isaacs Lane, between Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill,
The estate, which is newly built post-2000, is designed to be like a village and has narrow, twisting roads which dissuade fast driving.
The Co-op store is situated in the village square, at the heart of the network of residential roads, with a car park in front of it.
The small parade of shops, of which it forms the main part, is surrounded on all sides by two and three storey buildings with their windows looking down on to the square. Bolnore Primary School is also nearby.