Relief as stolen Caistor ATM '˜likely' to be replaced

The news has come as a shock to residents and the town mayor who feared the vital service would be lost forever.

A masked gang using a fork lift truck tore out the ATM back in April.

Many people, including town mayor Coun Carol MacKenzie, thought the bank would not bother replacing the cash machine facility after the branch closure in August last year.

Coun MacKenzie says she is ‘surprised and delighted’ at the latest news.

She said: “It’s brilliant news.

“I wasn’t expecting it.

“I didn’t think they’d reinstate it so I’m surprised and delighted.

“It’s available all hours so I think that’s good for a lot of people.”

Caistor town clerk Helen Pitman said she had been in talks with representatives from the bank and that the cash machine’s new location had yet to be decided.

In a statement, Caistor Town Council said: “Caistor Town Council has been contacted by the regional manager of the NatWest bank to inform that negotiations are ongoing with property owners in the town to replace the ATM machine which was stolen in April.

“At this point in time it is not known where it will be sited but the bank has confirmed it will contact the council once this is known.”

The NatWest cash machine is the only place in Caistor where cash is available 24 hours a day.

The town has outlets for cash in the Post Office, Co-op and Spar shop - but these are only accessible during business hours.

The cash machine was stolen at 3.08am on Friday, April 8.

Police say a group of four masked offenders were seen dragging the NatWest ATM from the wall using a fork lift truck/teleporter and then loaded it into a white transit-type van.

Witnesses say the thieves drove the van in the direction of Brigg, leaving the fork lift truck at the scene.

Part of the roof of the van had been cut away to allow the ATM to be dropped into it by the fork lift truck.

A spokesman for NatWest bank said it ‘looked likely’ that the Caistor cash machine would be replaced.