'I heard metal crash' in Billingshurst ram raid

A mum-of-two has described hearing the moment thieves ram-raided Sainsbury's in Billinghurst last night.
Danika Discombe heard the raid but did not realise what was happening.Danika Discombe heard the raid but did not realise what was happening.
Danika Discombe heard the raid but did not realise what was happening.

Danika Discombe, 28, was on a night shift at a nearby care home when she heard 'metal crash'.

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She said '‹she hadn't wanted to investigate as she was on her own at work but 'it was just scary'.

"All of a sudden there was this really loud clattering, it seemed like when you have those roll up garage doors but it was a lot louder so I thought it closer than this.

"But then I heard the alarms and I thought it was coming from the Jenger's Mead area."

She said she assumed it was a car alarm or people messing about and she was shocked and scared to see the damage.

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"It's just unbelievable," she said. "I'm just scared for my kids now, the kind of world they're growing up in."'‹

One of the first people to call police was Dave Smith, who turned up for work at the Delivery Office next door to the supermarket at 4.30am.

He described the scene as 'carnage'.

"We weren't allowed to use that side of the building in case [Sainsbury's] roof collapsed," he said.

"It's just a mess."