Another approach to ATM fraud?

The ATM by my nearest train station has been out of service for a few weeks now.

The interesting thing is the reason why:



It looks like the entire card reader assembly has been removed.

The question is: why?

As users are getting more savvy - and suspicious of odd-looking attachments on ATMs, the easy ways to attach malicious card readers are drying up.

Perhaps this was simple vanadlism... or perhaps it was a reconnaissance mission ("what does the inside of the machine look like?")... or perhaps it was a shopping expedition by somebody who needed a real Woolwich Link ATM card reader. Who knows....