Nottinghamshire Police has issued this warning after at least eight people have had their bankcards stolen whilst using ATMs.
Officers discovered a device at a bank ATM, which traps the bankcard inside, leaving victims empty-handed.
Police Constable Rebecca Grix is leading the investigation.
She said: “The device was fitted to the card slot on the ATM, so the bank cards are tapped and don’t reappear when ejected.
“The suspects would hang around the area, wait for this to happen and then come back to retrieve the card before attaching the device or another device again.
“Members of the public don’t receive the cash or have their bank cards returned.
“The incidents happened between 14 and 21 September and two suspects have been attacking devices onto ATMs at the TSB in Nottingham Road in Eastwood.
“We are aware of two people who have come forward to say that they had their cards taken, but we have viewed local CCTV footage which shows that eight people have had their cards stolen.
“If you have had your card stolen, please report the incident. Please call 101, quoting incident number 317 of 18 September 2020.
“As well as all the usual precautions we take when withdrawing cash, like shielding the keypad, when typing in your PIN, you should always examine the machine before use.
“If anything looks out of place or it has any parts which appear to have been added, do not use it and report your suspicions to the bank.
“If the machine fails to return your card or any cash you have withdrawn, you should contact the police on our non-emergency number 101 and your bank to inform them.”
ADVICE: You should take the following precautions when using cash machines:
•Always look closely at the card insertion point of a cash machine before using it. If it looks like it may have been tampered with, do not use it.
•If you realise the machine has been tampered with after you have inserted your card, call your bank while still standing at the cash machine if it is safe to do so.
•Always shield your hand when entering your PIN into a cash point keypad.
•If the machine retains your card or fails to dispense cash you have withdrawn, without a suitable explanation message on the screen, contact the police on our non-emergency number 101 and your bank immediately.
