CRIMINALS have been secretly tailing postmen and trying to steal credit cards and pin numbers from people in the Birdlip area.

The crooks remove letters from post boxes and use the homeowner’s personal details to apply for a credit card.

When the credit card arrives in their post, the offenders then steal this from the post box later along with the PIN for the card.

It is thought the offenders follow the postman disguising themselves as leaflet droppers before stealing the mail.

Two incidents were reported to on Monday October 24 – but luckily no money has been stolen from the targeted victims.

The first attempt was made in Birdlip and a second in Witcombe later that day.

Unwanted letters were later been found discarded in rubbish bins nearby.

Residents in the county are being asked to consider using secure mail boxes.

Police have issued the following advice to avoid becoming a victim to this type of fraud:

  • Ensure your post is kept in a secure and locked mail box
  • Shred any documents with personal details on before throwing them away
  • Be vigilant of people acting suspiciously around post boxes or bins
  • Destroy any credit cards before throwing them away

Anyone who has seen suspicious activity in the Birdlip or Witcombe areas which may be linked to these incidents should call police on 101 quoting incidents 374 or 487 of 24 October.