THE Argus can reveal it is believed a taxi driver from a Newport company took one of the gang to Birmingham.

Another source said he witnessed a black Mitsubishi and another car driven by two men, both black, leave Hillview Crescent, Pontfaen, at around 9.40am on Monday about an hour before the robbery.

He said: "About an hour or so later the other car came back and the man covered it up with a sheet.

"He waited in the house, then about 20 minutes later a taxi came. The man jumped in and was gone."

Residents in Hillview Crescent said another car was taken away by police on Wednesday night.

Det Supt Ronayne is appealing for people in the Pontfaen area who saw anything suspicious in the Pontfaen area between 9am and 5pm on Monday to come forward with information.

He said: "We are currently contacting taxi companies and are interested in anyone who made pick-ups over the period from the weekend up until yesterday."