Angus police may now have the information to help Aberdeenshire colleagues snare the gang behind an ATM raid.
The Courier revealed Police Scotland “would not rule out” links between a £100,000 Kirriemuir cash machine robbery and a weekend raid in Newtonhill.
Angus deputy commander Inspector Ally Robertson said the incidents in which criminals used gas to blow the cash machines up at night looked “identical”.
He added: “We will now link up with B Division as we might have information we have worked out in the last three or four months that might help their investigation.”
Police have previously released the names of two men believed to be part of the gang behind the ATM raid in Kirriemuir.
Adam Murphy, 29, and Andrew White, 25, of Merseyside, are wanted by detectives.
An estimated £50,000 was stolen from the ATM at a Tesco Metro store in Newtonhill on Saturday.
Mr Robertson added: “Because it is Police Scotland now, if this sort of thing happens in Huntly, Orkney, Kirriemuir or wherever, we will look at any potential links between similar incidents and pull resources to see if the circumstances are linked together.
“Having read the reports on the Newtonhill raid, the fact it was overnight, the vehicle used was the same and the ATM was exploded by pumping gas into the devices to blow it up there’s three circumstances exactly the same as the one in Kirriemuir.
“This organised gang clearly have the knowledge and expertise for what they are doing as the attacks are identical.”