Man loses £1,000 in Kettering cashpoint scam

A man was swindled out of about £1,000 after a Kettering cashpoint scam involving a suspect who pretended to be helpful.

Police are linking three incidents in Northamptonshire including another which targeted an 85-year-old woman.

The most valuable theft took place at an ATM in London Road, Kettering, at about 2pm on Saturday (January 25).

The victim was using the cashpoint when a message came up which said: "Do you need emergency cash?"

The card was kept and a man, who a police spokesman described as an Asian male, approached him and tried to give him advice.

The suspect handed the victim a phone he was using and a voice was heard saying they were aware of the problem and that his card would be returned. The card was not returned and the victim handed the suspect his phone back.

A police spokesman said: "The victim checked with his bank and found that two transactions totalling a large amount of money had been taken from his card only minutes apart."

In total the victim lost about £1,000.

Police believe the London Road incident is linked to another between 2pm and 2.15pm on the same day outside Tesco in Carina Road.

The victim, an 85-year-old woman, was approached by a man who distracted her. Police said the man was Asian.

Afterwards she noticed money had been withdrawn from her account.

And officers investigating the thefts are connecting them to another incident in Towcester in the south of the county at about 11am on the same day in similar circumstances.

A police spokesman said: "The suspect is described as an Asian male in a blue coat with a scarf pulled up near enough over his mouth. He had glasses on with a baseball cap.

"He was 5ft 10in to 6ft tall and reasonably well built. He had dark eyes and hair but quite a pale complexion."

The Towcester victim lost about £500.

Witnesses to any of the incidents or anyone with information should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.