A GANG who tried to steal a cash machine from a Padiham supermarket could have struck before across the North West, police believe.

Detectives hunting burglars who carried out the bungled raid at the Co-op, Sowerby Street, have teamed up with other forces across the region to investigate whether there is a link with similar offences elsewhere.

At least three raiders tried to steal an ATM from the store on Wednesday, December 13, but fled after they failed to disable the shop's alarm.

Police believe the raiders could be from Liverpool.

Inspector Dave Croll said: "There have been similar offences in other parts of the North West, and we are liaising with other forces to see if there is a link between the incident in Padiham and other offences elsewhere."

The bungled burglary took place at the Co-op between 10.15pm and 10.50pm.

The gang forced their way through the roof to the cash machine.

But the burglar alarm, which they had tried to disable, went off before they had broken into the machine, alerting security guards who called police.

The gang attacked the machine with crowbars and other tools.

Although no cash was stolen, officers said the raiders caused a lot of damage to the machine.

Following the raid, forensic searches of the store were carried out, and police looked through CCTV footage.

The raid came just days after a gang broke into the Briercliffe Shopping Centre branch of building society London Scottish Finance, disabling the alarm before ripping a safe, containing between £5,000 and £10,000 in cash, out of the floor.

Police were not linking the incidents.

Anybody with information about the raids should contact Burnley CID on 01282 472144, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.