Neighbours have spoken of their shock at hearing thieves steal a cash point from a wall last night.

Police were called to Tesco Metro in Pinner Road, North Harrow, at 1.30am following reports that two men were stealing the cash machine.

It is believed that the men stole a digger from a building site behind the store, before driving it through the car park to the front of the store, destroying two bollards.

The daring thieves then used the digger to steal a cash machine, destroying the front wall of Tesco.

Having removed the machine from the wall, they loaded it into a white van and drove away.

They left the digger parked outside the store.

Caroline Mullane, who lives opposite the ill-fated cash machine, said: “The noise was thunderous.

“I thought there must have been a car crash.

“It all happened so quickly – by the time I got to the window they had gone.

“It is frightening – it’s horrible, awful. I’ve never heard of anything like it round here before.

“My house almost shook a little bit.”

The Tesco store was closed until 3.30pm today while police carried out investigations.

It has now reopened but officers remain on the scene.

Mobashar Shah, who owns Red Sky Shisha Bar next to Tesco, said: “I wonder whether they waited for me to leave my bar because all my lights were on until 12.45am.

“I was quite shocked when I heard what had happened.

“When it is on your doorstep it does make you think.

“Tesco must have had a huge loss of business being closed half the day – the inconvenience is massive.”

Police investigations into the crime are ongoing. There have been no arrests as yet.