British police are hunting thieves who cut a hole through the wall of a bank to raid a cash machine.

Police say the burglars, who targeted a Lloyds TSB branch in Warley, near Birmingham, got away with tens of thousands of pounds (dollars). They say the robbers broke in early Monday morning, shielding their activities from view with a tarpaulin.

The crime was discovered when bank staff returned to work and found an empty cash machine and a hole in the wall just big enough for a person to squeeze through.

Det. Sgt. Michael Greenland said Tuesday the theft was carefully planned because the cash machine was stocked and the burglars were quick in carrying out the robbery and getting away. He appealed to the public for information.