On Tuesday, May 19, an appeal was issued after a victim was duped by a man in Hove on May 9.
Since that appeal, more people have been victimised, with hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars disappearing from victims’ bank accounts.
The scams all follow the same pattern: the suspect approaches the victim where they need to pay for parking and informs them that an enforcement officer has photographed their vehicle and they will need to get a new ticket.
Each time, the suspect leads the victim to the pay machine and steals their bank card through distraction.
The suspect informs the victims that the pay machine has retained the card and that they must wait up to 30 minutes for it to be returned. Soon after, the suspect uses the bank cards to make purchases.
The latest victim was attacked in the Queen Victoria Hospital car park in East Grinstead.
Police investigating the scam believe the man pictured can assist them. He is described as being between the ages of 20 and 30, of Middle Eastern appearance, around 5’4″ tall and of slight build, with short black hair and large, black-rimmed glasses.
Anyone with information that could assist officers with their investigation is asked to contact police online or by calling 101 and referencing serial number 1293 of 09/05.
