Burnaby RCMP is warning local residents to be on the lookout for thieves who distract their victims and then snatch their valuables.
Two such thefts, both targeting elderly women, were reported in Burnaby last month, according to police.
On Sept. 5, an older woman who had withdrawn cash from a bank at Crystal Mall and put it in an envelope in her purse, was approached inside the mall by a woman telling her she had a splotch of ketchup on her back.
The stranger proceeded to clean it for her while engaging her in conversation.
“It was during this time that a male suspect, seeing that the victim was distracted, stole the envelope of cash from the victim’s bag,” states an RCMP press release.
On Sept. 18, 2019, another older woman was getting into her vehicle at Brentwood Town Centre at about 7:30 p.m., when she was approached by a woman.
The stranger said the older woman had dropped some changed near the front wheel of her vehicle.
As the stranger helped the woman picked up the change, a man entered the passenger side of the vehicle and stole cash from the woman’s purse, which had been left on the passenger seat.
“In both of these thefts, it appears as though thieves were watching the victims for a considerable amount of time and worked a well-rehearsed scenario to distract them and steal cash,” Cpl. Mike Kalanj said.
Despite some similarities between the incidents, he said they don’t appear to be linked.
Burnaby RCMP is urging local residents to follow safety tips to avoid becoming the next victim.
“A lot of people are too polite,” Kalanj said. “If someone’s in their space, they don’t feel comfortable saying, ‘Get out of my space.’ But you can really stop these thieves just by talking to them.”
Burnaby RCMP is looking for help identifying people in photos related to last month’s thefts.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Burnaby RCMP at 604-646-9999.
Tips:
- If someone appears to be overly friendly and you are uncomfortable, get to a safe space as soon as possible and contact police.
- If something doesn’t feel right, get away from the situation until you feel safe. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to get out of your personal space.
- If you are a victim of a theft like the ones outlined above, report it to police.
- If you’re carrying cash, make sure it’s secure in a zipped bag held close to your body or your pocket.
- If someone accidentally spills something on you or attempts to distract you by dropping something in front of you, ensure you have valuables secured before you react.
- If you are withdrawing a large sum of money, consider making the withdrawal on your way home. Try not to walk around or shop with large sums of cash on your person.
- If you are using debit or credit cards, don’t allow anyone to see your PIN code when using them. Report any stolen debit or credit cards to your financial institution immediately.
