'Rat
trap' cash scam!
Over the last couple of weeks (May 2011) we have had three
incidents reported to us whereby a device has been fitted to an
ATM cash machine at a bank in the Alderley Edge area in order to
defraud customers of an amount of money. The cash trap as it is
known, is fixed either side of the cash exit shutter without touching
it but close enough for the notes to stick to it when they are
presnted out of the ATM.
In most cases rat/mouse trap sticky pads have been used to hold
the notes from returning back into the machine. The machine will
then go out of service allowing the offenders to remove the device
and retrieve the money that has been captured.
Members of the public think that the machine has not dispensed
any cash and that the machine must be faulty and walk away.
The device has been fitted to ATM machines at vulnerable times
when the bank is not open and the public are unable to complain,
ie. 5pm onwards into the evenings.
This type of fraud has predominantly hit London, but it is now
being tried nationally. Please be mindful of this fraud if
you use an ATM machine to withdraw money by checking that nothing
has been fitted to the cash output slot.
On 16th May 2011, after an operation set up by local Cheshire
police, two Eastern European males were caught in the act and
arrested. This does not preclude the possibility that there are
others engaged in this type of fraud.
JANE THIRSK
Watch Officer
Cheshire Police
Macclesfield Neighbourhood Policing Team 0845 458 6371
Police non-emergency number: 101
Other Homewatch pages of current relevance: Briefs (recent
crimes in the Macclesfield Division including Bollington, Kerridge
and Pott Shrigley).
If you haven't looked at the homewatch pages before we recommend
looking at the homewatch home page.
