Police revealed that fraudulent criminals targeted cashpoints in some of Kendal's busiest locations last week.

It has been confirmed that police removed three skimming devices from cashpoints in Market Place and Queen Katherine Avenue.

It is not possible to give more precise locations at this stage.

A spokesperson for Cumbria Police said: "We do not go into detail about locations.

"This is to prevent further cash machines being targeted.

"By not highlighting locations the public continue to use all cash points and not avoid those that have been mentioned.

"This also prevents the criminals installing the devices on other machines.

"We highlight these issues to the public so that they are able to keep an eye on their bank accounts and look for any unusual activity."

Skimming devices are attached to the card slot at ATMs in order to copy card details.

A separate, miniature pinhole camera is hidden overlooking the PIN pad to film the victim's PIN number.

The criminal then produces a counterfeit card and withdraws money at a cash machine.

Sergeant Ralph Timms said: “People should not be worried to use cash machines but they do need to be aware of the ways in which their details can be obtained. This will help them take basic precautions and hopefully reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim.

“We can all become complacent when using an ATM because it is something we do most weeks. However, when using cash points always check to see if it appears to be unusual or if its appearance has changed since you last used it.

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“If you do see anything untoward, do not use the machine and report it to the bank and police immediately. Report any unusual transactions immediately to your bank.

“By being more vigilant and aware when using cash machines, we can make it more difficult for criminals to carry out these crimes and reduce the number of people becoming a victim.”

For further help and advice visit www.cumbria.police.uk  or alternatively call 101 and speak to the local Crime Prevention Officer.

If you think you have been affected by the skimming devices please contact our reporter Patrick Christys at patrick.christys@nqnw.co.uk.