A GANG carried out five ram raids in seven hours yesterday leaving behind a trail of destruction.

Police believe the businesses were targeted at random as the crooks desperately sought goods to plunder in Blackburn, Darwen and Oswaldtwistle.

One vehicle - thought to be a 4x4 - was used in the majority of incidents between 1.30am and 8.30am.

In each ram raid, the vehicle was repeatedly reversed back and forth into shutters.

In two of the businesses, the security shutters were battered out of shape enough for a person to fit under and get inside.

Police have been left stunned by the gang’s actions in attempting so many ram raids in a single night.

Last night detectives were questioning three people - two men aged 25 and 30 and a 23-year-old woman - on suspicion of burglary.

They have also seized a vehicle they believed was used in the incidents.

Detective Inspector Mark Vaughton said: “It is unusual to have this amount of similar offences in one night.

“We are confident that it is a small team of criminals who are involved.”

CCTV footage captured the first raid showing a 4x4 vehicle repeatedly reverse back and forth unless it smashed through the shutters and glass frontage.

But the gang left empty handed when they triggered the alarm at Jennings, Vine Mill, Brookside Street, Oswaldtwistle at 1.30am.

Officers were called to another incident at 2.35am at Go Outdoors, Throstle Street, Blackburn, with a third at 2.50am in BB Wholesale, Grimshaw Street, Darwen.

In these incidents, the vehicle smashed the shutter in half and laptops and spirits were stolen from the licensed wholesalers.

The next raid was on Booker Cash and Carry, Amberley Street, Blackburn, at 6.35am and finally Howdens Joinery, King Street, Blackburn, around 8.30am.

Andy Bullock, 51, owner of BB Wholesalers, arrived at his premises in Hampton Mill, Grimshaw Street, Darwen, at 3am after the alarm activated.

He said: “I rang the police when I arrived and went inside and I could see what I had gone.

“I knew there was nobody inside. I just thought ‘how much is this going to cost me?’. This has never happened before.

“But at the end of the day this is the way of the world at the moment.

“People haven’t got jobs. There’s a commodity that people want they people have gone for it. But we are the losers.”

Bernadette Jennings, of Rossendale, owner of Jennings, said the CCTV, which has been handed over to police, showed a vehicle repeatedly driving into the shutters.

She said: “I just thought ‘Oh, my God’.

“They smashed through two gates then the shutters and the PVC doors.

“We are covered by Red Care alarm and as soon as they had gone through the shutters the alarm went off and they rang me.

“I’m shocked. This is the first time this has happened.

"It is not nice for anyone. Whether it is one business or 20 it causes an inconvenience and cost.

“It was like they were on a bit of a mission. It’s lucky that we had this alarm system and we have just got to get on with it.”

The motorcycle repair, servicing and MOT business which also sells racing products has been at the site for around 17 years.

It was open as normal yesterday and repairs to the shutters and inner window were carried out.

Detective Inspector Vaughton urged people with information to come forward.

Call police on 0845 1 25 35 45 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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