Detectives investigating a gang who used explosives to blow open cash machines have arrested six men following a major police operation.

Five addresses were raided in Huyton, Norris Green and Coventry, and a search was carried out at a house in Newton-le-Willows.

Six men, aged between 27 and 39, are now being questioned.

The Tuesday morning raids were the result of an extensive investigation led by the specialist Matrix team together with the West Midlands regional crime unit.

More than 30 cash machines are alleged to have been targeted by the gang, including five in Wirral.

Detective Superintendent Chris Green said: "The arrests today are the culmination of a thorough and complex investigation into crimes involving thefts of and thefts from cash point machines in North West and central England.

"We have used all the resources available to us, including technology and forensics, as part of our investigation and I would like to send a message out to those who commit these types of crime and think they can get away with it.

“Police forces will work together and will do everything in their power to identify those responsible.

“Offenders may believe that by committing crimes in different force areas that they can escape arrest, but forces do work together regardless of boundaries to bring people to justice.”

He added: "Some of the techniques used by offenders in these crimes are extremely dangerous and we are fortunate that no-one has been hurt.

"The people who commit this type of offence are motivated by greed and want to line their pockets, but if they think they can get away with this on Merseyside they can think again."

"The public are our eyes and ears when crimes like these occur and I would ask that if anyone sees anyone acting suspiciously in an area surrounding a bank/ATM we would urge them to contact us, as their information could be vital in bringing offenders to justice.”

Chief Superintendent Daryn Elton, from the West Midlands Regional and Organised Crime Unit said: "We work closely with the National Crime Agency and wider law enforcement agencies to target criminals, disrupt their activities and bring them to justice.

The alleged conspiracy includes the following incidents:

• Theft of a vehicle from Spoon Lane, Atherstone, Warwickshire on 10 November, 2011, this vehicle was later used in a number of ATM attacks

• Attempt burglary at Barclays, Marcham Road, Abingdon at 2.26am on 3 March, 2013

• Attempt burglary, Budgens, Granite Way, Loughborough, at 3.41am on 4 March, 2013

• Attempt burglary at the Co-Operative, Dog and Gun Lane, Leicester, at 00.05am on 13 March, 2013

• Burglary at Budgens, Granite Way, Loughborough, at 11.35pm on 24 March, 2013

• Burglary at the Co-Operative, Alcester Road, Studley, at 00.26am on 27 March, 2013

• Attempt burglary at Santander, Loughborough Road, Birstall, Leicester, at 11.45pm on 29 March, 2013

• Burglary at Barclays, Stores Road, Derby at 11.30pm on 5 April, 2013

• Burglary at the HSBC, Quedgeley, Gloucester, at 11.59am on 8 April, 2013

• Burglary at Barclays, Liverpool Road, Manchester, at 1.29am on 19 April, 2013

• Attempt burglary Barclays, Simbson Road, Loughborough, at 1.10am on 26 April, 2013

• Theft of an Audi from Skyliner Way, Bury St Edmonds, at 2.30am on 14 May, 2013, the car was later used in ATM attacks

• Burglary at Barclays, Bishop Meadow Road, Loughborough, at 1.14am on 17 May, 2013

• Attempt burglary at Sainsburys, Pensby Road, Heswall, Wirral, at about 3.15am on 20 May, 2013

• Attempt burglary, at Elton Post Office, Glendale, Ince Lane, Elton, Chester, at about 3.40am on 20 May 2013

• Burglary at Santander, Liverpool Street, Birkdale, at 3.42am on 23 May, 2013

• Attempt burglary Barclays, Milton Park, Abingdon, at 3.41am on 25 May, 2013

• Attempt burglary at HSBC, Station Road, Balsall Common, West Midlands, at 2.34am on 30 May, 2013

• Burglary at Barclays Bank, Lodge drive, Culcheth at 3.56am on 31 May

• Attempt burglary at Barclays Bank, Station Road, Knowle, at 3.05am on 1 June, 2013

• Burglary HSBC, Waterside Way, Northampton, at 11.50am on 12 June, 2013

• Burglary at Barclays Bank, Ratby Road, Groby, Leicester, at 1.15am on 14 June, 2013

• Theft of Audi stolen from a garage on Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield, on 25 July, 2013, and used in a number of ATM attacks on Merseyside

• Burglary at Natwest, The Green, Eccleston, Chorley, at 3.06am on 4 August, 2013

• Burglary at Barclays, Booker Avenue, Allerton at 2.10am on 17 August, 2013

• Burglary at National Westminster Bank, Allerton Rd, Allerton at 2.18am on 25 August, 2013

• Attempt burglary at National Westminster Bank, Cedar Road, Walton, at 2.45am on 30 August, 2013

• Burglary at National Westminster Bank, 40 Eccleston St, Prescot, at 2.25am on 12 September, 2013

• Burglary at Barclays Bank, Ford Rd, Upton, Wirral, at 1.35am on 27 September, 2013

• Burglary at Barclays Bank, Dewhurst Rd, Warrington, at 1.57am on 27 September, 2013

• Attempt burglary at HSBC Bank, Town Lane, Bebington, Wirral, at 2.55am on 13 October, 2013

• Attempt burglary at HSBC Bank, Pensby Rd, Heswall, Wirral at 4.22am on 26 October, 2013

• Attempt burglary at Santander, Hoylake Rd, Moreton, Wirral at 3.24am on 16 November, 2013.

Anyone with information should contact Merseyside Police on 0151 777 5687 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.