POLICE have issued a warning to cash machine users in Skipton to be vigilant after a third victim in as many weeks fell prey to thieves.

They used highly sophisticated equipment to scan the cash card at the Barclays' machine in the High Street and then wiped out the victim's account using a laptop computer.

The alarm was raised when a woman noticed a scanning device on the machine and informed police.

The device also incorporates a pinhole camera which records the cardholder inputting his or her personal identification number (PIN).

The technology used is so advanced that thieves can shut down other cash machines in the area to ensure customers use the one they have targeted.

A spokesman from Skipton police said: "The message is that Skipton may be a small, market town, but it is not safe from this sort of crime.

"People need to have a look at a dispenser before using a cash card and if a machine is out of order, inform the bank."

This latest incident occurred last week and came just two weeks after a man reported £500 was missing from his account after using the HSBC cash machine, also on Skipton High Street.

The first incident of this type came a couple of months ago, when another shopper had his account emptied at an ATM at Morrisons supermarket on the town's Broughton Road.

A spokesman for Barclays Bank said: "We would ask our customers to make sure no-one is watching them when they put in their PIN numbers.

"They should have a good look at the ATM and if they think something is wrong with it, they should go into the branch for cash and let our staff and police know."