TENTERFIELD residents hit by break-and-enters have been dealt a double blow after their bank accounts were raided by thieves.
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New England police have received reports of debit and credit cards with new pay-and-go technology being accessed after thieves struck homes and cars, amid a recent spate of property crime.
The occurrences aren’t exclusive to Tenterfield as police say the whole region is being targeted.
Crime manager Detective Inspector Ann Joy said credit card fraud would continue to spike if residents didn’t lock up.
“There certainly has been access to those cards in the process of having committed one offence,” she said.
“And the flow-on effect is a number of frauds. Again, there is an opportunity for that now with those systems.”
New technology means many cards can now be waved in front of EFTPOS facilities without the need for a signature or PIN when buying goods.
While it’s convenient for consumers, police warn it can be devastating for victims if their cards are illegally accessed.
“It’s a risk for those people with cards. They need to ensure the cards are cancelled as soon as they know they have been taken,” Detective Inspector Joy said.
“Additional cards are perpetrated in a quick succession of time, and if there is any lag in cancelling the cards it’s often too late.”
A spate of break-and-enters to homes and thefts from cars has been recorded across Tenterfield and Armidale in recent weeks, but Detective Inspector Joy said it “was a constant battle” to get residents to secure their homes and cars.
“Police are constantly seeing residents’ cars unlocked, their premises unlocked. In Tenterfield, offenders are targeting motel rooms, because occupants are leaving their rooms unlocked, and we are seeing handbags, wallets and things of that nature stolen,” Detective Inspector Joy said.
"It's a concern that this practice is continuing and it's a key message we keep trying to enforce."
Police have also taken the unusual step of asking motel operators to increase their vigilance on site and warn visitors to lock their rooms, secure their cars and not leave valuables lying around.
"In some cases offenders have entered motel rooms when occupants have been asleep and the potential for an escalation to a more serious offence if the occupant awakes is most certainly a concern," Detective Inspector Joy said.
