A MOTHER of two children has vowed never to use cashpoint machines again after thieves took £1,500 from her family's account.

Tracy Card noticed two men acting suspiciously around her as she collected money from the hole-in-the-wall at Asda in Chatham. Two days later she found thieves had helped themselves to as much as £450 at a time from the account.

Mrs Card, 31, from the Walderslade area of Chatham, said: "I just want to warn other people of what might happen. Cashpoints are so convenient when you're busy with kids but I wouldn't use them now."

Her husband Stuart, 32, a landscape gardener, discovered the money was gone when he drew out cash two days later. The thieves had taken three lots of £450 and three more sums of £50.

Mrs Card believes two men behaving strangely when she was at the cashpoint may be to blame. She said: "One spoke with a very strong foreign accent and I couldn't understand what he was saying," she said. "He stood next to me, tapped me on the shoulder and waved a £20 at me and placed it on top of my handbag.

"He kept saying 'two 10s'. I realised he was looking for change and I said sorry I don't have any.

"The other man stood right behind me and said nothing. Looking back I think they may have been taking in details of my card and watching me putting in my pin number.

"I don't know for sure but someone must have used another card because mine wasn't stolen."

A police spokeswoman said people should always be on their guard at cash machines. She advised customers to feel the card slot before using it because an obstruction could mean crooks are trying to steal your card, always be discreet, and try to use the machine when the premises are open.

"We have had problems like this for years, though it tends to be an opportunist crime," she added.