HUNDREDS of Hampshire motorists could have been the victims of a hi-tech service station credit card swindle.

Police have today launched a hunt for a former garage attendant who they believe may have been behind the scam.

Officers say the conman used a false name to get a job at the service station before fleeing after just a week with £2,240 in cash and £3,500-worth of cigarettes.

They also fear he may have been using a machine to swipe details of motorists' credit cards.

Detectives say the attendant may have sold the details to criminals who would clone the cards before going on a spending spree.

The scam was run by a former member of staff at the Esso Market Service Station in Andover Road, Winchester.

He fled the busy 24-hour garage on Thursday night after stealing the money and cigarettes.

Now, police are asking motorists who paid with a card at the garage between April 28 and May 4 to contact them so they can give them advice on how to foil the scam.

Dc Ian Berry, who is leading the hunt for the man, said he had worked there for a week but the Thursday evening late shift was the first time he had worked alone.

He said that a fellow garage worker had noticed a machine behind the till that was not normally there. It was this that has prompted fears that details of credit cards could have been copied while unsuspecting motorists paid for their petrol.

"The worker could have left with enough information to compromise at least 100 credit or debit cards," said Dc Berry.

"If anyone has been to the garage in the last week and are concerned we have full details of all the cards involved."

Dc Berry said the alarm was raised after another member of staff arrived to take over from the man at 9.30pm on Thursday but found no one was at the garage.

He said: "A member of staff noticed on Thursday, shortly after 10am, what could have been a card reader behind the till that was not part of the usual machinery.

"This could be a ghost machine that swiped the cards and criminals can then make their own cards."

Detectives are now trying to track the man, who is Asian and believed to come from the London area.

Service station manager David McClean declined to comment on how the man was hired and what security checks were made on him.

If you used a card at the garage call Dc Berry on 01962 841555.

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