Petrol station hit by teenage booze gang

2:20pm Wednesday 27th August 2008

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A GANG of youths went on a stealing spree at a Middlewich garage over the weekend.

A group of around eight teenagers descended on foot to the Shell garage in Holmes Chapel Road in the early hours of Sunday morning and stole more than £400 worth of stock from outside the shop.

Manager Matt Lawton said the gang distracted the lone male employee before making off with the loot, which included three fire extinguishers and multiple crates of drinks.

“We only have three fire extinguishers and they took all of them,” he said.

“One or two came inside to try and distract the guy who was working, but when he realised what they were doing he phoned the police.

“Fortunately he has been here for a couple of years and wasn’t too shaken up by it.”

The culprits moved their loot around to the side of the store before returning for it half an hour later.

They were also believed to have been stealing mobile phones from the parked cars.

Mr Lawton added: “We did manage to find the majority of stuff they had stolen behind the house next door, but that doesn’t pay for the damage because they had drank all of the cans.”

Mr Lawton said they often have trouble with drunken louts at the 24-hour garage, but rarely have such a significant theft.

“We do often get them having a drink and coming in and being boisterous,” he said.

“But we don’t often get a lot of things like this happening.”

Police are currently investigating the incident. Anyone who saw anything or has any information should call Middlewich CAT team on 0845 4586382.