Hamilton police are seeking four individuals who collaborated to steal a senior citizen’s debit and credit cards along with her PIN numbers at a Fortinos grocery store in the west end back in December. This incident is part of a recent trend of “distraction thefts” as reported by the police on Monday.
The theft took place on December 6 around 3 p.m. at the Main Street West and Rifle Range Road location of the grocery store near McMaster University. The four suspects, working together, managed to obtain the woman’s PIN, took her wallet from her purse, withdrew approximately $3,500 in cash from her accounts, and made additional purchases totaling $750.
The suspects are described by the police as follows:
– An older male wearing a dark flat cap, glasses, red gloves, a dark winter coat, dark pants, and shoes.
– A person in a navy-blue Nike jacket, black knit toque, light-colored scarf, and dark pants.
– A man with a grey knit toque featuring a logo, a dark jacket with a light-colored hood, and carrying a red bottle.
– A person in a light-colored winter jacket, fur-lined hat and scarf, seen pushing a shopping cart.
This incident occurred during a year marked by a significant increase in distraction thefts in Hamilton and throughout Canada. Suspects often operate in groups, engaging seniors in conversation and sometimes initiating physical contact to facilitate the theft of jewelry.
According to police, reports of distraction theft in Hamilton surged by 87 percent in October compared to the previous year, rising from 39 to 74 cases. Suspects typically target older adults aged 60 to 90 and operate in pairs or groups, with one suspect distracting the victim while others carry out the theft.
Since November 17, there have been 25 reports of distraction theft, leading to several arrests by the police. Suspects commonly use excuses to get close to victims, resulting in stolen jewelry or valuables, which are sometimes substituted with cheap imitations. In one instance, a woman replaced a senior’s necklace while hugging her in Flamborough.
The police have shared multiple similar incidents in various parts of the city, including Parkdale, Westdale, Upper James Street, Ancaster, and Stoney Creek. They advise the public to be cautious of unexpected approaches, physical contact attempts, or offers of jewelry from strangers, urging individuals to keep personal belongings secure and out of sight in public areas and report any suspicious behavior.