FOUR men who blew up ATM machines and stole £120,000, including one incident in Marlborough, have been jailed for more than 40 years collectively following a crime-spree.

At around 3.20am on August 9, police received a report from the fire service that the cash machine behind Waitrose in the town centre had been set on fire, but nothing was taken.

A joint Wiltshire and Metropolitan police investigation found that 10 cash machines were targeted in August and September in Twickenham, Uxbridge, Windsor, Harrow, Frimley and Denham, which resulted in the theft of £120,000 and more than £200,000 of damage.

Daniel Dorkin, 26, of Baynard Close, Basingstoke, who was responsible for the Marlborough incident, was sentenced to 11 years in jail after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary.

Along with Dorkin, Ray Abraham, 36, of Hobart Drive, Hythe, Hampshire, was sentenced to 11 years and four months jail, and Trevor McCarthy, 43, of Barlby Road, Ladbroke Grove, London, and Gary Mills, 40, of Fleetwood Close, Chalfont St Giles, were sentenced to 10 years and eight months.

Detective Constable Craig Rathbone, of Swindon CID, said: "This investigation was led by the Metropolitan Police and we are pleased with the outcome. In order to gain entry to the cash machines, the men pumped gas into the machine before igniting them from a short distance away.

"It was very lucky that this incident in Marlborough, as with the other incidents across the country, did not result in any injuries to pedestrians or motorists nearby."