ATM theft reports being investigated "as a matter of urgency", Tesco confirms

The issue comes after an eagle-eyed woman spotted a primitive device intended to steal her cash card.

The incident took place earlier this week at the cash machine at the Tesco petrol station on the Wrekin Retail Park, Wellington.

Posting about the experience on social media Keira Price said: "Went to take some money out and after doing so it tried to tell me my card was being dispensed, once I realised it wasn’t coming out I looked and had to pull the plastic out, it looks like someone has placed it inside to catch your card.

"Has been reported to the petrol station."

Some people speculated that the device was a scanner, seeking to steal people's details to clone their card, but another suggested it was a more primitive attempt to steal someone's card.

Ayshea Aslam said: "It's not able to scan, it's a grabber, they are close by enable to watch; the machine doesn’t reset they then retrieve it and can use it as contactless or another way if they have a camera set up close enough to see your pin."

She added: "But it’s scary when it happens; we shouldn’t have to carry needle-nose pliers on us just in case there is a rudimental card grabber inserted into the cash point so we can drag our cards out."

Now Tesco Bank has revealed it is looking at reports about the ATM.

The spokesman said: "We take any reports of fraud at ATMs seriously and are investigating the reports relating to our ATM in Wrekin Retail Park as a matter of urgency."