San Francisco PD have caught a crook using an ingeniously low-fi method to rip people off ATMs: napkins.

A merchant on Divisadero Street tipped the cops off after he spied the crook stuffing napkins up into ATM cash dispenser slots. When people tried to take cash out, it would get stuck up behind the napkins. After they walked away frustrated, the guy just strolled over, reached up into the slot, and dislodged the napkins, and walked away with their cash.

According to the police, the man who lived in the Tenderloin district of San Fran, is a serial napkin stuffer. He was charged with burglary. After they arrested him, cops found another ATM stuffed with napkins close by.

So if you go to withdraw money from an ATM and it doesn’t come out, don’t just finger around in the tray, also reach up into the slot and see if there’s anything stuck there. After that, try to take a cellphone picture of the ATM screen for evidence and then call the number on the ATM for service. (If the ATM is in a bank, you of course should just go inside and ask for help.)

Cops catch crook in ATM scam [Law & Disorder] (Thanks to Rachel!)