A 52-year-old man and 22-year-old woman from Toronto are facing charges after police responded to a report of a distraction theft last week.
On Friday, January 19, 2024, at 11:30 am, police were dispatched to a business on Strathy Road in Cobourg for a report of a wallet theft.
Through investigation, it was learned that three individuals entered the business and followed a female around the store, taking her wallet from her handbag. The three individuals purchased gift cards in two separate transactions with the victim’s bank card before leaving the store.
Additional purchases were made with the victim’s bank card at a nearby gas station.
As a result of the investigation, police located and arrested two individuals. A third person remains outstanding (photo attached)
The 52-year-old man and 22-year-old woman from Toronto are charged with
1. Theft under $5,000 contrary to Section 334(b) of the Criminal Code of Canada
2. Possession of stolen property obtained by crime under $5,000 contrary to Section 354(1)(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada
3. Theft of Credit Card Contrary to Section 342(1)(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada
4. Possession of Credit Card Contrary to Section 342(1)(c) of the Criminal Code of Canada
5. Five counts of Use of Credit Card Contrary to Section 342(1)(c) of the Criminal Code of Canada
6. Five counts of Use of Credit Card Data Contrary to Section 342(3) of the Criminal Code of Canada
7. Five counts of Fraud Under $5,000 Contrary to Section 380(1)(b) of the Criminal Code of Canada
Both were held for a bail hearing and subsequently remanded into custody.
It is believed the accused individuals have been involved in similar distraction theft crimes in other jurisdictions, and partner police services continue to investigate.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 905-372-6821 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS or visiting stopcrimehere.ca. Tips received through Crime Stoppers may be eligible for a cash reward.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
