The Anambra State Police Command has initiated an investigation into an alleged case of ATM card theft involving an unidentified woman who reportedly stole the card of a visually impaired elderly widow and drained her account in minutes.
The incident reportedly took place over the weekend at an ATM in Nnewi, located in the Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The elderly woman discovered the theft after noticing multiple unauthorized withdrawals from her account.
A 42-second CCTV clip, widely circulated on social media, captured the moment the suspect switched the victim’s ATM card with another card at the machine. The footage shows the suspect, dressed in a red top and black trousers, taking advantage of the elderly woman’s visual impairment. After swapping the card, the suspect left the scene and used the stolen card at another ATM to withdraw funds.
Speaking at her bank on Thursday, the victim, a widow, explained her ordeal. She stated, “I visited the ATM to withdraw cash but struggled to operate the machine due to my visual impairment. A young woman nearby offered to assist me, but during the process, she secretly swapped my ATM card for an expired one after obtaining my PIN. I only realized what had happened when I began receiving debit alerts on my phone. Over N2 million was withdrawn from my account in several transactions. When I reported the issue to the bank, the CCTV footage confirmed what had happened.”
An official at the bank, who chose to remain anonymous, stressed the importance of exercising caution at ATM points, especially for vulnerable individuals like the elderly or those with disabilities. She warned against sharing ATM PINs with strangers and advised seeking help directly from bank staff when necessary. She stated, “This incident highlights the need for vigilance. The suspect pretended to help the woman, obtained her PIN, swapped the card, and emptied her account. It’s a callous act.”
She further emphasized the role of the community in identifying the suspect, adding that the culprit might reside nearby and could be recognized by someone.
The spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident and said the police are analyzing the CCTV footage as part of their investigation. He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Itam, has directed officers to deploy all necessary intelligence tools to track down the suspect and any accomplices.
SP Ikenga urged residents, particularly those in Nnewi and its environs, to provide any useful information that could lead to the identification and arrest of the suspect. Preliminary findings indicate that the suspect posed as a helper to gain the victim’s trust, swapped her ATM card, and withdrew a total of N2 million from her account shortly after leaving the scene.
The police have reassured the public of their commitment to ensuring justice is served and have advised everyone to remain cautious while using ATMs to prevent similar occurrences.
