| Nat
West pledge CCTV coverage for cash machines Following
a spate of robberies outside the High Road ATM security is to be enhanced Nat
West Bank disclosed today that cameras are to be installed above the ATM machines
on Chiswick High Road. The spot had become a target for thieves with most other
ATMs in Chiswick covered by cameras and other town centres in West London having
CCTV installed. Thieves
targeted these specific machines with at least six incidents having occurred in
the last few months. The
police have said that a gang has been operating around this particular machine
over the last few weeks in a distraction scam. The user of the machine is told
that they have dropped a £5 note and when they bend to pick it up their
card was snatched and put through a card-reader before being returned. Recently
PC John Hollis of Chiswick Police station made an arrest at this spot when a member
of the public called for assistance as this scam was attempted but this has not
stopped the spate of thefts. Chiswick Police issued
a warning to local people about ATM crime which is published on this site
and appeared in the weekly newsletter. It contains details of how to avoid the
most common ATM related scams. They confirm that most of the ATM related robberies
are occurring at these machines. Thieves
are also using a method called the "Lebanese Loop" in which a sheath
of plastic is inserted into the machine. This makes it appear that the machine
is out of order when you enter your card. Nat
West told ChiswickW4.com today that the installation of cameras is to be
assessed next week with a view to having them in place in the not too distant
future. December
6, 2002 Sign
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