A gang who stole hundreds of thousands of pounds by blowing up cash machines across the country, including one in Woodstock, believed they were ‘untouchable’, a police chief said.

The raiders used motorhomes and lorries to drag ATMs away, after sawing through doors and shutters with high-powered tools.

The seven-strong gang, based in Merseyside, were convicted of offences which included conspiracy to cause an explosion and conspiracy to commit burglary at Liverpool Crown Court last week.

Using high-powered Audis and Mercedes cars to travel across the country, the men targeted 13 cashpoints in Huyton, Cheshire, Gloucestershire, the Thames Valley and Scotland between February 2015 and February 2016.

In May 2015, the gang ripped a hole in the wall and made off with cash from Barclays Bank in Park Street, Woodstock, in the early hours of the morning.

Forensics officers scoured the area for clues, and worked with other police forces across the country to track down the gang.

Park Street resident Spencer Hughes said at the time he thought the raid was a ‘gas explosion’.

A year-long investigation by undercover detectives, including officers from Thames Valley Police, led to a series of raids, in which eight men were originally arrested and charged.

Gang members Andrew White, 28, Anthony White, 26, Nanu Miah, 28, Anthony Conroy, 29, Carl Cavanagh, 33, Michael Galea, 41, and Gary Carey, 40, are due to be sentenced on April 19.

Andrew White, of Exeter Street, St Helens, believed to be the ‘ringleader’ of the group, admitted conspiracy to commit burglary and was found guilty of conspiracy to cause explosions following a 12-week trial.

His brother, Anthony White,  of Kingswood, Huyton, was convicted of conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to cause explosions along with Galea, of Gregson Road, Prescot.

Miah, of Sparkbrook, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and was found guilty of conspiracy to cause explosions. Conroy, of Wavertree Vale, Wavertree, and Cavanagh, of Barford, Huyton, admitted both offences.

Carey, of Burford Road Liverpool, was found guilty of conspiracy to cause an explosion, while Scott Pearson, 35, of Ena Crescent, Leigh, was found not guilty of burglary.

Detective Chief Superintendent Chris Green said the men used ‘dangerous tactics’ in targeting the ATMs, which he said ‘clearly put members of the public at risk’.

He added: “The techniques used by the men involved in these attacks were extremely risky and we are fortunate that no-one was hurt.”

Mr Green said the convictions were a ‘clear message’ to criminals ‘who believe they can avoid detection’ by operating across different force areas.

He said: “We are relentless in our pursuit of criminals involved in serious organised crime and there are no borders. We will work with other forces up and down the country to identify those involved in serious crime to ensure we can put them before the courts and behind bars. 

“These men were driven by greed. They didn’t think about the dangerous nature of what they were doing and the potential that they could cause serious and significant injuries to others through their recklessness.”