POLICE have launched a massive hunt to track down five men who ram-raided a security depot and stole around £1million in cash.

House-to-house inquiries were taking place in Whiston where the getaway car was abandoned. The security firm hit by the raiders is also offering a £100,000 reward.

The armed attack on the Security Express Limited depot in Huyton, took place at 8pm on Monday, Feb 26.

One of the armed robbers crashed through steel security shutters into the building using a blue-coloured flat-back lorry (registration M978 MTU), which police say was stolen from Wyken Grove, Haydock, on Wednesday, Feb 21.

Once inside the building the five masked raiders, one of whom was armed with a handgun and two others with shotguns, threatened the eight staff - which included one female employee - and forced them to get down on the floor. It took the gang less than five minutes to load large plastic sacks with £5, £10, £20 and £50 bank notes and load them into a Range Rover.

The raiders escaped from the depot in a grey Range Rover (registration H689 LRW - which also stolen, which was later found abandoned at the junction of Halsnead Avenue and Cronton Avenue in Whiston.

Chief Inspector Bill Morris, said: "This was obviously a well-planned operation, which may have taken a number of weeks to set up. The whole raid took the men just five minutes to complete."

Detective Inspector Paul Evans who is leading the investigation into the robbery would like to hear from anyone who may have seen either of the vehicles used by the raiders, before or after the robbery, and at any time after the vehicles were stolen. The police would also like to hear from anyone who may have seen the robbery taking place, or may have seen anybody acting suspiciously in the area around the depot in the weeks leading up to the attack.

Anyone with information should call 0151 777 6263. Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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