Market Drayton police cracking down on pre-Christmas crime

Police officers, including some in plain clothes, will be stepping up their presence on Wednesdays during the town's market.

It follows several recent offences where people's purses have been stolen and scanning devices have been fitted to cash machines in a bid to access shoppers' bank accounts.

In one incident last week fraudsters fitted a card reading device to a cash machine at the town's Morrisons store.

A small pinhole camera powered by batteries was discovered attached to the cash machine which was reported to police by security staff at the store.

On market day police will be handing out purse chains to vulnerable people, including the elderly.

Police say all the banks in the town have also been visited and staff have been advised to look after vulnerable customers.

Constable Mick Sturland, local police officer for Market Drayton, said: "Police are to step up their presence on Wednesdays during the town market in the run up to Christmas .

"We have had two instances of scanning devices being placed on cash machines in the last two weeks and also one purse theft.

"We usually see this kind of crime become more common in the run-up to Christmas and we shall be patrolling the market in a higher number than usual.

"Using special constables in support of the local policing team, we'll be in plain clothes utilising the town's CCTV system, as well as the shop watch network."

By James Pugh