POLICE have expressed concern at the poor standard of checks undertaken by shops after a stolen debit card was used for a £600 spending spree in four days.

The debit card belonged to a local woman who dropped it in a store in West Lavington. She was unaware she had lost her card until her bank contacted her four days later.

In that brief time, the card was used on 14 occasions in stores, pubs and a hotel in Devizes, Shrewton, Tilshead and Amesbury by a man, even though the card clearly bore the woman's name.

Police have described the man as white, of medium build, in his early twenties, about 5ft 7 in tall, with short fair hair, a thin face with a prominent nose and possibly a tattoo on one arm close to his wrist.

He was with a woman with bleached blonde hair in her mid-twenties. In one pub they had a child with them, aged about three, and they left in a dark green or blue Peugeot 306 hatchback.

On another occasion the suspect was accompanied by two women, one of which had dark shoulder length hair.

Anyone recognising the man is asked to contact WPC Val Ashby of Devizes police on (01380) 722141 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Jo Batchelor, owner of Devizes Books in Sidmouth Street and chairman of Devizes Chamber of Commerce, said: "It is important for retailers and their staff to check that the right sex is using a credit card, that is the first thing I do. You should always also check the signature against that on the card.

"But customers also need to be careful about their cards. We have had customers who have left the shop without them."