One Olive Crescent resident said they saw four or five men strip off their clothing and throw it inside the car before pouring petrol on the vehicle and putting a match to it.
Shopkeepers around Pykes saw a black car park alongside the Hallmark card shop and screech away when the burglars left.
One said: “At first, we heard windows smashing and I went to make sure our door was shut.
“There were men in overalls and from people I have spoken to who saw more, they did not seem to have masks on.
“Another said one had a hammer which had an axe head on one side.”
No-one was hurt during the raid and no threats were made to staff, which is why officers are treating the crime as burglary.
Call Birkenhead CID on 0151-777 2265 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
