Seven people have been arrested after Thames Valley Police conducted several warrants in connection with a rash of ATM burglaries across four counties.

On Wednesday November 21, officers from Thames Valley Police, working alongside partners from Wiltshire Police, Gloucestershire Police, West Mercia Police, the National Crime Agency, South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) and West Midlands ROCU, conducted a number of early morning warrants.

Partners from the Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN) and the Regional Disruption Team also assisted with the warrants.

The warrants were carried out as part of Operation Shire, which is an ongoing investigation into cash machine thefts across Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire.

Of the seven people arrested, six men were detained on suspicion of conspiracy to burgle, and one woman was held on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. They all remain in police custody.

Senior investigating officer detective inspector Jim Holmes, of force CID based at Banbury police station, said: “This was a Thames Valley Police-led series of warrants executed at several addresses across four counties, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Warwickshire.

“The warrants are part of an investigation into cash machine raids.

“We have recovered one confirmed stolen firearm, large quantities of cash, quantities of drugs, large quantities of suspected stolen car parts, suspected stolen jewellery and suspected stolen power tools.”