Suspect Sought in Whitby Distraction Theft
Police are looking for a male suspect who stole banking information from an elderly female in Whitby.
On Thursday, May 16, 2024, shortly after 12:30 p.m., an elderly female attended multiple businesses in the area of Taunton Road East and Thickson Road North, in Whitby. After completing her purchases, the victim returned to her vehicle where she was approached by a male suspect. The suspect told the female that she had push pins and thumb tacks behind her tires. While the victim removed the pushpins and thumb tacks from behind her car, her purse was stolen from the vehicle.
The suspect used the victim’s banking cards at various locations, withdrawing cash and spending over $6000 in a short period.
The suspect is described as: male, Brown, with a heavy build, and short black hair. He was wearing a blue baseball hat, and a white collared shirt with checkered design.
Anyone with surveillance, cell phone, dash cam footage, or any information about this incident is asked to contact D/Cst. Riddel of the Central West Division Criminal Investigations Branch at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 3891.
Scams have become very prevalent in our community. Recently there has been an uptick in multiple types of scams targeting our residents. Knowledge is the key to staying safe and in control. Make sure you and your loved ones familiarize yourself with the common types of ongoing scams so you can stay protected.
This scam, often referred to as a parking lot scam, entails one suspect shoulder surfing when you make a payment in store so they can record your pin #. When you exit the store, a second suspect will approach and distract you with something like helping with a flat tire, asking for directions, or noticing obstructions behind your tires. The first suspect will then go into your car/purse and take your debit/credit cards and cash. They will then immediately drain all accounts.
If you have experienced this type of scam or come into contact with anyone attempting to use these techniques on you or a family member, please contact Durham Police or your local police service.
Anonymous information can be sent to Durham Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.durhamregionalcrimestoppers.ca and tipsters may be eligible for a $2,000 cash reward.
The information in this media release contains facts and circumstances that have been obtained from a police investigation. These allegations have yet to be proven in court.
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