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Sticky Keys Help Crooks Clean Out San Francisco ATMs

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) - You might call it a stick-up, but the only guns being used in a string of San Francisco bank ATM robberies are full of glue.

Over the past few months, thieves have dumped glue on the enter, clear and cancel keys of San Francisco machines. The criminals then wait for customers to put in their card and enter the pin. After customers notice that the enter and cancel keys aren't working, they often go inside for assistance. That's when crooks step in and use the touch screen to make a withdrawal.

San Francisco officers said the crime is a relatively new innovation in the account hacking game. Police urge automatic teller customers to try the touch screen when they encounter problems with the standard keypad.

Two people have already been arrested in San Francisco in connection to the scam. Officers said that there is likely a ring of thieves carrying out the crimes.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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