People are being warned of a new threat from organised crime gangs

People are being warned of a new threat from organised crime gangs, many of them from Romania, who are targeting cash machines and stealing millions of pounds each year.

The crooks are using pinhole cameras, card skimmers and other gadgets to obtain personal identification numbers, card details and in many cases the cards themselves, from customers.

Detective Inspector Roger Cook, head of the City of London Police's Cheque and Credit Card Unit, said cash machine fraud had cost the banks more than £30m so far this year.

He said the gangs - some of which are also involved in human trafficking and prostitution - were becoming more and more sophisticated and were spreading out across the UK.