Police are warning people to check card machines before use after one in Dover was tampered with.

Officers were alerted to an incident that involved a pay at pump machine at Tesco Petrol Station at Honeywood Parkway in Whitfield, just after midnight on Thursday, September 9.

A member of the public noticed a card skimmer on the machine and alerted staff.

Card skimmers are devices that are fixed to cash machines by criminals. The skimmers swipe debit and credit card information from people using the machines.

The skimmer was removed and police are investigating the incident.

Inspector Guy Thompson from the Dover community safety unit urged people to be on their guard against card skimmers.

He said: “Look out for anything unusual around cash dispensers. This could include unofficial ‘out of order’ notices that appear to direct users to one particular machine, misaligned or blurry screens or the card seeming to ‘stick’ when being inserted or ejected from the card slot of the machine.

“Make sure people aren’t standing behind you before you put your card in. If someone is standing too close or you think someone is watching, either offer to let them go first or go to a different cash point.

“And always make sure no one can see you input your PIN number at a cash point and keep your number secret.”

Officers would urge anyone who saw people acting suspiciously near the machine to call 01843 222289 quoting reference ZY/031684/16.