Bank robbers drive Mercedes into Halifax branch on Stratford Road in bid to steal cash machines

Police are hunting masked raiders who rammed a Mercedes sports car into the front of a bank in an attempt to rob its cash machines.

Four men used three vehicles in the smash-and-grab at the Halifax Bank on Stratford Road in Shirley, shortly after 1.30am today.

The gang, who were carrying metal bars, fled empty handed.

The drama unfurled in front of a stunned eyewitness who came across the robbery in progress as he drove home from work.

The man, who gave his name as Ash, said he saw the men tie a rope to the back of a white Mercedes Sprinter van to tear down a pole located about 50 yards outside the bank.

He said: “I think it was some sort of electrical junction box connected to the bank’s alarm systems and sensors.

“They completely uprooted the pole first before one of the robbers reversed a black Mercedes SLK sports car into the glass frontage of the bank near where the ATM machine is located.

“The internal alarms at the bank went off which I think they weren’t expecting because it seemed to hurry them along a little bit.

“I didn’t see them carrying anything out of the bank except for a couple who were carrying metal bars. But I did notice the ATM was all smashed up.”

The robbers, all wearing balaclavas and dark clothing, then jumped into an Audi S6 car and sped off abandoning the van.

The Mercedes was left parked in the middle of the road in a crude effort to stall police.

Ash said: “I called the police but a police K9 Unit just happened to be driving past and noticed the Mercedes blocking the road just seconds after the robbers had screeched off.

“The robbers didn’t appear to be in any great hurry and I watched them for about a good 20 minutes before they left.

“After that loads of police cars, marked and unmarked, turned up at the scene and cordoned the bank off.”

He added: “It was all very surreal and like watching a bank heist in a movie.

“The robbers must have done their homework to have used three vehicles and to take the electrical pole out first.

“But it was all quite scary and I made sure I kept my distance while taking snaps of the robbery as it was happening.”

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “We were called to reports of a ram raid at Halifax, Stratford Road, Shirley, at just after 1.45am today.

“Offenders managed to gain access into the building and made a failed attempt to take cash machines.

“They fled empty-handed and anyone with information can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”