Officers were briefly locked in Oswestry Police Station when the gate was padlocked on April 26.

The ATM at WHSmith was then targeted in the early hours by thieves.

Safer Neighbourhood Team Inspector, Tracy Ryan said: "Officers were on patrol and they pop in and out of the station in-between cases and when they went to leave the station to go back out the gates were padlocked.

"It didn't stop them from leaving because the padlock was easily cut open and it didn't delay the officers attending incidents.

"It never would stop us because we have the equipment to deal with these things."