Gangs net thousands in cashpoint stings

London: Eastern European migrants are raking in tens of thousands of pounds by distracting customers at cashpoints in the West End.

Police figures on Friday reveal criminals carried out 50 attacks in three streets including Oxford Street in the West End last month.

Officers said the gangs were pocketing up to 500 pounds (Dh2,694.2) a time after stealing bank cards in distraction thefts.

The figures show that last month alone there were 20 distraction thefts at automatic telling machines in Oxford Street, 18 in Regent Street and 12 in Charing Cross Road. A similar number of robberies are taking place around Piccadilly and Covent Garden.

Will Davies, a specialist crime prevention officer in the West End, said the gangs usually act in pairs using simple methods.

They approach people using cashpoints and tap them on the shoulder saying they have dropped some money, pointing to a note on the floor.

As the victim glances down and turns away from the ATM, a second man nips in and snatches the card from the machine.

The gangs usually strike just before midnight so they can collect the limit on the card twice, once before midnight and once afterwards.