The Brockville Police Service is one of the latest agencies to warn people to stay alert after two distraction-style jewelry thefts.
The most recent incident happened in Brockville, Ont., at around 1:30 p.m. on July 4 outside the Real Canadian Superstore on Parkedale Avenue.
Police say four people in a dark-coloured SUV approached a victim and tried to sell them jewelry.
The suspects convinced the victim to try on a necklace and, while placing it around their neck, allegedly removed the necklace the victim was already wearing, said Insp. Darryl Boyde with Brockville police.
The victim did not realize the genuine necklace had been replaced with a fake until after the suspects left.
A similar theft was reported on June 10, when suspects approached a woman in a residential area and attempted to sell her a necklace.
While placing the necklace around her neck, police said the suspects distracted her and swapped her genuine gold necklace for a counterfeit one.
The latest incident happened in broad daylight while the victim was running errands, Boyd said.
“Your guard is down because you’re just going to get your groceries, which is unfortunate,” he said. “Protect yourself and protect your belongings.”
Boyd said the thefts leave some victims with more than just a financial loss.
“Not only is there a significant financial loss, but there’s often sentimental value attached to these items.”
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Police have also received reports of people giving into the tactic and purchasing the jewelry from the strangers, later discovering the items they bought were counterfeit.
“If it seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t (true),” Boyd said. “Be aware of your surroundings. If you’re approached by one or more people trying to sell you something, especially jewelry in a parking lot, those are red flags.”
While police investigate, local pawn shop owner Wade Betts said his business is doing what it can to help keep stolen property out of circulation and return it to its rightful owners whenever possible.
“We’ve always had a policy of conducting police checks on the items we buy,” Betts told Global News.
“We take photo identification, photograph every item and have signed contracts, so if something does come in here, there are ways of finding out who it belongs to.”
Betts said every transaction leaves a trail that investigators can use.
“Even if it was sold, we have a paper trail showing who brought it in,” Betts said. “If we come across something that seems stolen, we won’t buy it.”
He encouraged people to document valuable jewelry and other belongings.
“If something is stolen, you can provide that information to businesses like ours so we can compare it with items that have been brought in.”
The Brockville incidents come amid similar distraction-style jewelry thefts reported elsewhere in Canada.
On July 7, an elderly woman was walking in the area of Garnetwood Chase and Rathburn Road East in Mississauga when she was approached by an unknown female, according to a release from Peel police.
The female suspect repeatedly asked the woman if she was OK while placing a fake gold chain around the victim’s neck, police said.
When the victim attempted to push the suspect away and call for help, a struggle ensued. A second suspect, believed to be the driver of the vehicle, “exited and briefly covered the victim’s mouth in an attempt to silence her,” police said.
During the altercation, the suspects stole the victim’s 18-karat gold necklace and pendant, valued at approximately $3,500.
Earlier this week, Winnipeg police also charged two people from the Toronto area after a series of alleged distraction thefts targeting older women on Canada Day.
Police allege a 27-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman approached victims in Manitoba, distracted them with hugs and offers to “bless” them, then swapped genuine gold necklaces for imitation jewelry.
The pair now faces charges including robbery, conspiracy to commit fraud and possession of property obtained by crime.
In British Columbia, Vancouver police are also making the public aware of a recent incident where a 73-year-old woman was targeted in a distraction theft late June.
In a post on social media on Thursday, the detachment said they are “appealing for a potential witness whose Tesla may have recorded video of a senior targeted in a distraction theft on June 23.”
“Unfortunately, we’ve seen a number of cases like this in recent months in which elderly people are targeted, and their precious family heirlooms stolen,” Vancouver police Const. Megan Lui said in the social media post.
As these thefts continue to surface across the country, Brockville police are reminding people to stay aware of their surroundings and exercise caution if approached by strangers.
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