THIEVES have emptied thousands of pounds from people’s bank accounts in Kent by cloning their cards at cashpoint machines.

One 52-year-old man lost £2,500 after he used his card at one of the three cash points outside Asda, Mill Way, Sittingbourne.

Another victim, Anthony Davis, 57, of Donemowe Drive, Sittingbourne, lost hundreds of pounds from his account when thieves “skimmed” his card.

Most of the “skimming”, as it is known, has taken place at the cashpoints outside Asda.

A police spokeswoman said: “We are taking this extremely seriously and co-operating with the supermarket and the banks to catch these thieves.”

Mr Davis’s card was cloned when he withdrew money from a machine outside the supermarket, but he did not realised until he tried to use his card later and his number was not recognised. He complained to the building society, which told him his card had been cloned and money withdrawn in Coventry.

Mr Davis complained to Asda, where staff told him they had seen a man acting suspiciously near the machine and chased him off. They also found a device the thieves had fitted to the cashpoint.

“I was really shocked,” said Mr Davis. “I just want to warn people. I thought the cash machine looked different. There was something protruding half an inch out of it but I didn’t think anything of it.”

Mr Davis is now waiting to hear how much money he has lost and if he will be reimbursed.

An Asda spokeswoman said staff were checking the cashpoint machines outside the store every half hour to prevent further offences.

She stressed: “The cashpoint machines are not ours. They belong to the banks and building societies. But it affects our customers, so we are doing everything we can.”

The thefts come only a month after Kent Police’s fraud squad warned the public to be vigilant. Anyone who finds a device fitted to a cashpoint or sees someone acting suspiciously is asked to report it and not remove it themselves. If the branch is closed, contact the police.