A PAY and display ticket machine thief has struck twice more in Teignbridge.

The serial offender first pounced at Bovey Tracey, as reported in last week’s Mid-Devon Advertiser.

Now the emboldened help-yourself merchant has repeated his cumbersome exploits in Moretonhampstead and Buckfastleigh.

His daring raids have pocketed him just a few pounds – but the damage and loss has cost Teignbridge Council a whopping £15,000.

The grab and scarper pest executed his debut attack at Bovey’s Station Road car park on October 20 at 1am.

Since then he has repeated his daring swipes in Moretonhampstead’s Court Street between October 28 and November 1 and at Buckfastleigh’s Mardle Way car park just after 5.40am on November 6.

The dead-of-night daredevil is now on the radar of local police who are anxious to hear from anyone with information which may help them nab the nocturnal nuisance.

A Teignbridge Council spokesman said the Buckfastleigh and Moretonhampstead machines had only just been upgraded.

Cllr Douglas Hellier-Lang, the council’s executive member for economy, skills and tourism, said: ‘We’re working with our police and community safety colleagues to track down and prosecute those responsible.

‘We would encourage anyone who may have seen anything or who may know those involved to ring the police and report information on 101.’