Bank card stolen in car break-in used at Sidmouth cash machine

A bank card stolen in a smash-and-grab raid on a parked car was used to try and withdraw £250 from an ATM in Sidmouth less than an hour later.

The thief broke the window of the car parked at Woodbury Common at about 12.30pm on Wednesday ( April 14) and stole the owner's handbag, purse and a pair of glasses.

When she contacted the bank to cancel her cards, she was told one of them had been used to try and withdraw money from the cash machine at Sidmouth's Tesco Express.

The incident was publicised on Facebook by the lady's daughter, Lisa, who said the break-in happened as her mother was walking her dog on Woodbury with Lisa's son, who has autism.

She returned to find the car window smashed with glass on the seats and footwell, and her belongings missing.

Lisa said her mother was 'extremely upset' to find the car in this state, and it caused distress to her son, too.

She said: "She wouldn't usually leave valuables in the car but on this occasion she had planned to treat my son after the walk, hence having her purse.

"There was just the rear passenger window smashed but it's blacked-out glass so they would only have seen the bag if they put their hand up to the glass and peered in.

"When my mum contacted her banks to cancel her cards, she was told they had attempted to withdraw £250 from Tesco Express in Sidmouth around 1pm."

"It's such a shame as they've spoilt a place that my mum loves and has been walking on for over 50 years."

After the pictures were shared on social media, many other people said they'd had valuables stolen from their vehicles, with vehicles often targeted in Woodbury Common's parking areas.

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said they're appealing for witnesses or information about the break-in.

Anyone who can help their investigation should email [email protected] or call 101, quoting crime reference number CR/029425/21.

The police would like to remind members of the public not to leave valuables in parked cars.