Armed thugs ambushed security guards and threatened them with a knife before raiding a soon-to-be closed bank in Bury .
Police were called to Santander on Bolton Road in Ramsbottom on Tuesday night to reports of an armed robbery.
It's understood the gang - who also had an angle grinder - targeted the cash in transit guards as they were walking into the bank.
The thieves made threats and demanded money.
The guards then handed it over and the three men escaped from the scene with an unspecified amount of cash.
An investigation has been launched and police are urging anyone with information to come forward.
A spokesman for GMP said: "Police were called shortly before 9.45pm on April 16 to reports of an armed robbery at a bank on Bolton Road in Ramsbottom.
"Three offenders - one armed with a knife and one armed with an angle grinder- entered the bank then fled from the scene with an amount of cash.
"Enquiries into the full circumstances around this incident are ongoing."
Santander confirmed earlier this year that it would be closing the Bolton Road branch on June 20.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 8172 quoting incident number 2337 of April 16.
Information can be passed on anonymously by calling the independent charity Crime stoppers on 0800 555 111.
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