Life of Guangzhou - Professional Card Picker and ATM Lurker Caught

Police in Sichuan Province have caught a man who allegedly lurked around bank outlets to pick up bankcards accidentally left in ATMs so he could withdraw money from the accounts.

The man, surnamed Zhao, was nabbed on March 24 in Chengdu City at a bank outlet on Xinhong Road, the Huaxi Metropolitan News reported yesterday.

Zhao allegedly earned more than 120,000 yuan (US,165) from eight thefts, the report said.

Zhao, a computer science graduate from a university in Chengdu, was said to have found the shortcut to getting rich while waiting in line at a bank to withdraw money in July 2005, the report said.

Zhao allegedly noticed that the woman ahead of him forgot her bankcard from the ATM after taking her money. He found the card still in the machine, which gave him access to the woman's account.

Zhao allegedly transferred several hundred yuan from the woman's account to his own, then reset her card pin code and kept it, the report said.

Zhao, who used to be a computer technician, quit his job and became "a professional" bankcard picker, according to the report. Since 2006, he has allegedly spent most of his time waiting near ATMs.

"He can tell from the first sight which person is forgetful and will definitely forget his or her card," a police officer of Chengdu's Chenghua District told the newspaper.

Zhao also impressed police with his remarkable memory ability as he could recite the 10-digit original and revised codes of all the bankcards he had picked, the report said.

"He was really fast," the officer said.

"He usually finished transferring the money and leaving in seconds before the owner remembered to come back and get their card."

Police told the newspaper they caught Zhao after receiving several reports from bankcard owners.

(By Lydia Chen)

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