SCAMMERS managed to steal large amounts of money from cash machines outside a Burnley garage.

Police were called to Kitchens Service Station in Trafalgar Street on Monday night after customers noticed two men acting suspiciously outside the shop.

Officers believe that two automated teller machines were tampered with to prevent money being withdrawn properly.

The manager of the garage, which has been owned by Blackburn firm The Kay Group since 2007, refused to comment on the incident yesterday.

Police moved to quash online rumours that there had been an armed raid on the store.

Inspector Andy Winters said: “A number of people have been affected but nobody was hurt and there were no physical threats or violence in or near the shop.

“We secured the area around the cash machine on the forecourt to prevent anyone from using i.t “We’re not sure at this stage how the money has been taken but we are investigating.”

Officers were called to the scene at 10.15pm and, upon their arrival, the men who had been acting suspiciously were seen leaving the premises.

It was discovered that an unconfirmed sum of money had been stolen from the two Yorkshire Bank cash machines on the forecourt.

Yesterday, bits of paper with the words ‘Do Not Use’ were taped to the machines while officers investigated.

Detective Sergeant Louise Darcy said she had been speaking with people locally and enquiries would continue. She added: “We are still in the early stages of this investigation.”

Anybody with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The Kay Group’s head office, in Grimshaw Park, Blackburn, declined to comment about the incident.