A MAN has been arrested in connection with a ram raid at a Co-op store.

A JCB digger was ploughed into the store before a cash machine was loaded into a stolen Ford Ranger and later dumped, empty, in Ridgewell.

The arrest of a 24-year-old, following the Long Melford raid, is the first potential breakthrough following numerous raids across Essex and Suffolk which led to the East of England Co-Op offering a £40,000 reward to catch those responsible.

The suspect has been released under investigation in connection with this one specifically rather than all the others including ones in Halstead and Earls Colne, where Essex Police confirmed no progress has been made.

In November a transit van was used to smash through the front of the store in Weavers Court, Halstead.

They escaped with tens of thousands of pounds from the free standing cashpoint.

In September there was a raid at the Co-Op in Earls Colne.

A forklift truck had smashed into the shop before a group of men then stole the cash machine and loaded it on to a stolen Mitsubishi Canter flatbed truck.

They then drove off at speed in convoy with a black estate car, towards the direction of Halstead.

Following the multiple raids security has been improved including cash being removed from ATMs to stop them becoming such valuable targets.

The £40,000 reward is for information leading to the conviction of those responsible for the raids.

Anyone with information should contact Suffolk or Essex Police 0n 101.