Hundreds of customers have had their credit card details stolen after a Carshalton homeopathic store was hit by internet fraudsters.

Naturally Thinking in Carshalton High Street was targeted by hackers in October 2007 who gained access to customer details via the store's 24 hour online shopping website.

The stores' owners Danny Stanzl said he was shell-shocked when he heard the news.

"As far as we were concerned," he said. "We were the only ones who had access, we have the passwords, the firewalls and all the security we have been advised to have."

Despite this hackers were able to get hold of customers' credit card numbers and personal details, including addresses.

One customer found a £4000 watch on his credit card bill which he had not bought and several other customers reported between £600 and £800 worth of unaccounted expenditure on their cards.

Others seemed unaware that their cards' had been compromised until contacted.

The live fraud was exposed after lists of customers' details were emailed to a BBC reporter, who then contacted the victims.

As soon as Mr Stanzl was made aware of the breach the website was taken offline and the police were informed.

An investigation has now been launched and Mr Stanzl said he believed arrests will follow.

Naturally Thinking was originally set up as an internet business by Mr Stanzl and his mother Jeannette Stanzl following the death of his father from cancer.

Mrs Stanzl was inspired after searching in vain to find her husband lotions to offer him respite from his pains and a better quality of life.

Finding nothing she decided to make her own, and the High Street store was added following the success of the internet enterprise.

Mr Stanzl said they have now taken advice and upgraded security measures to help prevent a further breach.

A spokesman for the Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit confirmed an investigation was under way but no arrests had been made.