Residents are being warned after thieves reportedly used a hidden device at an ATM to steal money.

Police were called to a cash machine in London Road, Larkfield, which is thought to have been tampered with on Saturday, July 8.

At around 10am, a customer used the machine outside a bank but no money was dispensed – it is thought a suspect went back to the machine after the victim left and removed a hidden device that held the money.

Sergeant Nick Atkinson said: “We are investigating this incident including the examination of CCTV footage in the area.

“While in this case we do not know the method used to steal the cash, in the past devices have been attached to the area it is dispensed from using adhesive tape.

“My advice is that if an ATM appears to have been tampered with, report it immediately to the bank or contact the police.

“People should always cover the PIN keypad as they enter their number. If you enter your card and it appears to be retained or jammed, check the fascia and notify your service provider immediately.”

If you see anyone acting suspiciously around cash machines report it to the police online, or via 999 if a crime is in progress.