Mum angry police won’t investigate bank card thefts

A WOMAN has expressed anger that police will not investigate thefts made using contactless payment cards.

The mother said her daughter, who works at a care home in Barwell, had her purse stolen from her car.

Four contactless transactions were subsequently made in shops in Camp Hill, Nuneaton, totalling £88, before the card could be cancelled.

“My daughter was parked in a private car park and had her car broken into on December 10, between 3pm and 9pm,” the woman said.

“Her contactless credit card was stolen from the car, . It was hidden in a bag under the passenger seat.

“This was reported to police via the online method as when we called we were on hold for 75 minutes.”

The mum, who wished to remain anonymous, said they cancelled the card straight after discovering the break-in.

A few days later four transactions were tracked to four shops in the Camp Hill.

There were another four attempted transactions, but the card had been cancelled by this point.

“We about told the police the transactions,” said the mum.

The mum has emails from the police saying they do not investigate fraudulent activity on bank cards. Officers said they could investigate the theft from the car, but as they had no suspects, witnesses or CCTV footage, they would be unable to establish whether the person who broke into the car was the same person who used the bank card.

“I’m disgusted that a crime occurs and is actively not investigated by police,” the mother said.

“That will explain the spike in crime. These criminals know they can get away with it because the police won’t come looking.

“My daughter suffers with depression and severe anxiety. It’s a real struggle to get her to do something as basic as going shopping.

“This has set the hard work we had done to raise her confidence straight back to zero.”

An original statement from the police said inquiries had been carried out and the victim had been kept up-todate.

The mother said no one from the police had called, emailed or been to the scene of the incident.

In a further statement, police said: “Following the incident being reported, inquiries were carried out. It was established there were no CCTV opportunities available and no further viable lines of inquiry.

“On December 11, an email was sent to the victim by the investigating officer stating that due to no further lines of inquiry being available, the report would be filed but remain on our system to be reviewed if further information becomes available.

“A further email was sent from an investigator on December 17 in response to information received about the use of bank cards.

“The email stated police do not investigate the use of contactless bank cards.

“This is in line with a national agreement by all banks and financial institutions when contactless cards were introduced, that the responsibility lies with those organisations to investigate any reports where a card has been used fraudulently using the contactless system.”

Police said anyone who believes they are a victim of a crime in which bank cards are stolen should contact their bank and cancel the card immediately.