POLICE are scanning CCTV images of two men who carried out a raid at Highcliffe Launderette and escaped with a large quantity of cash.

The thieves broke open the washing machines' coin boxes in the latest in a spate of crimes in the village.

Undeterred by the presence of another customer and security cameras, which filmed their every move, the two men spent around 20 minutes trying to force the cash boxes of the coin-operated washers at the launderette in Lymington Road.

One of the men, wearing glasses and a baseball cap, tried to hide his face with a hand while he fumbled with the cash boxes while his partner looked on.

After failing to open machines at the front of the premises, the men went to the rear of the shop, where they spoke briefly to another customer before succeeding in unlocking six cash boxes and scooping up the piles of £1 coins which cascaded on to the floor. They then rejoined two male accomplices in a blue hatchback which had been parked nearby and drove off.

A young male customer who was in the launderette at the time noticed the men behaving suspiciously but left before they broke open the cash box and did not raise the alarm before thieves had made their escape.

The theft took place shortly after 5pm last Friday but was not discovered until the following morning when owner Mark Cotterill found the coin boxes empty.

His suspicions were confirmed when he viewed the CCTV tapes which he handed to police who are now investigating.

Mr Cotterill believes the men used a fake key to open the cash boxes and may have been the same gang responsible for a recent ram raid on a nearby computer shop where a blue car was also involved.

"They have certainly got a nerve. They just didn't give a damn about the camera or the other person in the shop," said Mr Cotterill.

"Highcliffe used to be such a quiet place and we have never had any trouble before. Suddenly in the last month there has been a mugging and a ram raid and now us."

Anyone who recognises the men in the CCTV photographs or has information about the theft should call PC Louise Roberts at Dorset police on 01202 222 222 or the CrimeStoppers hotline on 0800 555 111.