Merseyside Police is appealing for information after raiders smashed a lorry into a petrol station in the early hours of Monday 1 October.

Police were called out shortly before 12.40am following a report that there was a group of five males inside the petrol station at Sainsbury’s, Jennifer Avenue, Liverpool when the premises was closed.

The offenders broke through to a rear wall, damaging their white Ford transit dropside lorry in the process, and it was reported a small number of bottles of spirits were taken.

The vehicle was recovered at the scene and is being forensically searched.

CCTV, witness and forensic enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and locate those responsible.

Community inspector Graeme Rooney said: “Burglaries of businesses are not victimless crimes. There will be local people turning up for work today who will have to pick up the pieces from this incident, cleaning up and arranging for repair work to the building, as well as suffering the psychological impact of their place of work being targeted in this way.

“We are determined to put those responsible before the courts and I would appeal to people who may have seen anything suspicious around the Great Homer Street area in the early hours on Monday to get in touch with us as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Merseyside Police.