Warning issued after eagle eyed woman foils attempt to steal cash card from ATM

The device was found in the cash machine at the Tesco Petrol Station on Telford's Wrekin Retail Park, at Wellington, earlier this week.

Posting about the experience on Facebook, Keira Price, said she had reported the incident to the petrol station.

A number of other people responded to the post detailing their own experiences where there had been attempts to steal their cards.

Posting alongside a picture of the plastic she had fished out of the machine Keira said: "Just to make everyone aware, Wellington Retail Tesco petrol station's cash machine had this inside the card holder.

"Went to take some money out and after doing so it tried to tell me my card was being dispensed, once I realised it wasn’t coming out I looked and had to pull the plastic out, it looks like someone has placed it inside to catch your card.

"Has been reported to the petrol station."

Some people speculated that the device was a scanner, seeking to steal people's details to clone their card, but another suggested it was a more primitive attempt to nick someone's card.

Ayshea Aslam said: "It's not able to scan, it's a grabber, they are close by enable to watch; the machine doesn’t reset they then retrieve it and can use it as contactless or another way if they have a camera set up close enough to see your pin."

She added: "But it’s scary when it happens; we shouldn’t have to carry needle-nose pliers on us just in case there is a rudimental card grabber inserted into the cash point so we can drag our cards out."

Another user said: "Lost a card and £150 to this machine two weeks ago!"

Other people recommended cancelling the card just in case, while one person revealed their own card had been stolen in the same machine just hours earlier – leading to them cancelling it with the bank.

Tesco has been contacted for comment.