A GANG smashed through the wall of a seafront cafe and lashed the safe to a Transit van in a bank job-esque burglary.

In early hours of this morning the burglars broke into Graces Place cafe on Madeira Drive in Brighton.

The elaborate heist saw them make off with the safe after they broke through the wall.

They tied the van to the safe and pulled the heavy box free.

The gang then loaded it into their getaway vehicle and sped off down the seafront.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the burglary and say £45,000 was stolen in the raid.

It is believed sledge hammers were use to make two holes in the wall to get inside the café - with the burglars breaking into one side of the cafe before realising the safe was on the otheside.

Neil Moore, the cafe’s manager, said: “We turned up at 8am this morning and the police were already here. It is going to be a few hundred pounds worth of repairs.

“I am shocked they want to so much effort. They hammered a hole in the side of the building. On the CCTV you see a van reversing, pulling on a rope and dragging the safe out. Then you see them rolling it into the back of the van."

PC James Breeds said: "Making these holes would likely have caused a significant amount of noise and it's possible members of the public who live nearby may have head something.

"Please contact us if you witnessed this incident or have any other information about who the suspects are to help with our investigation."

Any witness or anyone with information about the incident is asked to email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101 quoting serial 158 of 17/08.

Alternatively, call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.