Police have estimated up to £2.5 million has been stolen by a criminal gang targeting petrol station customers.

Two garages in Sussex are at the centre of the international credit card scam in which hundreds of thousands of pounds have been reported stolen from customers' bank accounts.

The gang is thought to have attained jobs at petrol stations and used hidden cameras to film drivers keying in their PIN numbers at the till.

The cards were then cloned with the numbers and were used to withdraw cash from banks and cash machines in 19 countries across five continents.

The Argus reported on November 3 that fraudsters targeted three BP garages - one in London, one in Eastbourne and one in Bexhill.

All victims in Sussex are believed to have visited either The Crossway in Willingdon Road, Eastbourne, or the BP garage in Holliers Hill, Sidley, Bexhill. More than 560 people have already reported that withdrawals averaging £300 have been made with their credit or debit cards.

A man in his 30s, from Sri Lanka, and a man in his 40s, from Eastbourne, have been arrested and released on police bail until January.