Barclays hit by French card fraud

A GANG managed to withdraw more than €200,000 in one night from cash machines across the north of France using stolen British bank cards.

At least 34 men and women travelled to Calais from London with scores of Barclays debit cards and began emptying every machine they found.

Barclays said a computer glitch had made it possible for unlimited amounts to be taken out, regardless of whether the account had enough funds. Normally withdrawals are limited to £300 a day as a security precaution.

The gang’s work triggered an alert at a financial monitoring centre in Paris and armed police were sent in.

Some 34 people were arrested and later released - but it is thought that others managed to escape.

Four of those arrested have been bailed and will appear in court at a later date on fraud charges. According to police, those arrested claimed they were from Slovakia.

The money has been confiscated and will be returned in full to the account-holders affected.