Supermarket's forklift used in Co Armagh ATM theft

The PSNI said “considerable damage” was caused to the wall during the theft at the Rice’s Supermarket on Victoria Street in Keady shortly before 2am on Wednesday.

Ulster Unionist councillor Sam Nicholson said the supermarket is a family-run business that won’t welcome the disruption.

“It provides an essential service for the community,” he said. “This type of disruption is definitely not needed so hopefully the police can catch these people.”

SDLP councillor Thomas O’Hanlon said the thieves would have needed to break into the premises before stealing the forklift.

He said: “It’s the third incident of its kind in Keady. One incident happened at the Bank of Ireland. The other incident actually happened at the exact same location a number of years back.

“This was quite sophisticated. It was obviously a very well-planned operation and whoever was responsible seems to have known exactly what they were doing.

“They had to first break into the premises – it is in a gated car park – and then take the forklift used by the business.

“So obviously these people would have either been watching and making notes or they know the premises. It was very well orchestrated and very well organised.”

He said he hoped modern technology could be used to foil the thieves.

“We’re told that once they try and break these machines there’s ink and what not, so I sincerely hope that the ink has destroyed all the cash and made their efforts in vain.”