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Thieves may have spent six months digging a 100ft tunnel as part of an elaborate plot to steal "limited funds" from a Greater Manchester cash machine.
Starting in a railway embankment at the back of a shop, the tunnel went under a car park and beneath the foundations of the building.
The 4ft-high passageway had been fitted with lighting and roof supports and stretched around 100ft.
After digging directly under the cash machine at Blockbuster on Fallowfield Shopping Precinct in Levenshulme, the thieves cut up through more than 15 inches of concrete to steal its contents before escaping back down the tunnel.
Police have said the people responsible may have spent up to six months creating the passageway.
Detective Sergeant Ian Shore, from Longsight CID, said: "In all my years of service, I have never seen anything quite as elaborate as this.
"These people had obviously spent a long time plotting this crime.
"I doubt they would have been able to keep their plans secret without telling others about their scheme.
"The financial detriment to the victim could have been a lot worse and the offenders did not get away with as much money as I believe they may have originally hoped.
"The machine had limited funds available."
:: Anyone with information about the theft, which happened between 5.30pm on January 2 and January 3 is asked to call police on 0161 856 4245 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16148795