HUNDREDS of pounds were stolen from elderly people in a cash machine scam that conned five victims in broad daylight.
Police are urging shoppers to be extra vigilant when withdrawing money after a group of people carried out the thefts outside several banks in Sheffield city centre on Wednesday.
The gang allegedly started talking to people taking cash out to distract them before telling victims - some of who were elderly - that their details were flashing on the screen, and to re-enter their bank card.
They were then told to press various buttons and, when the card was not ejected, victims went into the bank to report it. The group then took around £200 from each account.
Insp Darren Sharkey, who leads Sheffield Central Safer Neighbourhood Team, said the method hadn’t been seen before.
He added: “The impact on people may mean they’ve lost a couple of week’s wages or savings for Christmas - there is the stress of having to claim that as well as being a victim of crime in broad daylight.
“When it is an elderly person targeted the impact on the victim can be massive and have a long term effect, such as they don’t want to go out or use cash machines.”
The group is made up of several men and two women, aged in their 20s, smartly dressed and with Eastern European accents.
Call 101, quoting incident number 441 of December 5, with information.
People are also urged to report any suspicious activity around cash machines.
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