MASKED raiders forced a petrol station to close down its pumps during the fuel crisis after they smashed their way inside and caused more than £1,000 worth of damage.

MASKED raiders forced a petrol station to close down its pumps during the fuel crisis after they smashed their way inside and caused more than £1,000 worth of damage.

Jim Rowett, manager at the Fina petrol station, in Chesham, said the thieves used a sledgehammer on the door, before ripping a display unit off the wall and fusing the computers used to control the pumps.

He added: 'They caused absolute chaos.

'When motorists were clambering to get petrol, our tanks were full of the stuff but we had to close.'

The two thieves, who were wearing balaclavas at the time of the raid, stole at least £600 to £1,000 worth of cigarettes and caused around £1,700 damage on when they struck on the night of September 15.

Mr Rowett said they were forced to call in computer experts to the station, in Ashley Green Road, to re-programme the computers and enable petrol to flow through the pumps.

He added: 'I could not believe that at the time when people needed petrol the most thieves targeted us.'

Sergeant Julian Heard of Amersham Police, said that there is a possible link with a similar incident at a newsagents in Denham on September 17.

He added: 'There are similarities in the description of the offenders and we would like any witnesses to come forward and help with our enquiries.'

The thieves in both cases were wearing balaclavas and made off in a silver car.

If you have any information on these incidents or the thieves, telephone police in Amersham on (01494) 465888