THE daughter of an elderly woman has said her mother has been left scared and shaken after a cash point theft in Bradford.

Tracey Yeoman said her 71-year-old mum, Carole Pratt, had gone to the cash point at Morrisons supermarket, in Thornbury, on Thursday, September 21, at around 12pm.

"She said while she was putting her PIN in a man in a hooded jacket tapped her on the shoulder and said there was a fault with the machine and that she had to put her PIN in again.

"She thought he was being really kind and helpful and did it.

"Someone else then took her card and went off with it. They later withdrew £310.

"Mum phoned me soon after really upset and said she thought something had happened at the cash point and that someone had got her card.

"It's a busy entrance where the cash points are. There are always people hanging around waiting for taxis because they park near there.

"I live in Barnsley now so I couldn't get across to her straight away but told her to cancel her card with the bank as soon as possible.

"We later found out the money had gone and she informed the police.

"She is really upset about it and is now scared to go out shopping.

"She usually goes with my step dad or a friend but this time she was on her own.

"I am so angry at what happened to her. She is a pensioner, very much old school, and goes out to withdraw her pension to pay bills and use the money for shopping. It was pretty much all the money she had at the time. Fortunately the bank has paid the money back into her account.

"Mum has lived in area all her life but says it has changed a lot. There have even been instances where she has caught people riffling through her wheelie bin and has had taken things off her washing line.

"I put something about the theft on Facebook because I want other people to know what could happen to them at cash points anywhere in Bradford, not just in Thornbury, and to watch out for these people.

"You don't know if they are carrying weapons.

"They really confused mum because she thought they were being kind and helpful. If she had resisted they may have hurt her.

"It makes you wonder how many other people this has happened to who haven't reported it.

"The police know about it now and we are hoping it was captured on CCTV and they can find the ones who did it."

Councillor Mohammed Shafiq (Labour, Bradford Moor) said he was upset to learn of the theft.

"I am very sorry to hear that a vulnerable citizen has been a victim of theft at a cash machine in broad daylight and at a place where people go for their shopping.

"I would hope that anyone who saw anything would speak to the police or come and speak to me and I will speak to the police for them.

"I hope the lady is okay. It is a very upsetting and terrible incident."

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police confirmed they had been contacted about the incident which they describe as a distraction theft against a woman in her 70s where the suspects have made off with the woman's bank card and used it to withdraw money."

The spokesman said the police have no definite descriptions of the two people involved yet and would appeal to anyone who saw anything at the time to contact them on 101 with crime number 13180481023.

They added: "In the meantime we are seeking CCTV footage of the incident and inquiries are ongoing."