Polite chat outside store leads to theft of gold bracelet

A woman who was victimized by a distraction scam is urging others to remain on alert, echoing warnings from city police who believe travelling fraudsters recently passed through Winnipeg.

Lynn, 72, said her $2,000 gold bracelet was stolen from her wrist by a stranger who struck up a conversation outside the Save-on-Foods grocery store on McPhillips Street on June 25.

“I was just sitting in the car, just waiting for my husband and she approached the car. I’m a friendly person, so when somebody says hi, I say hi back,” said Lynn, who asked that her surname be withheld.

“I should have known right from the beginning that something was wrong… I’m not stupid, but I got sucked in.”

“I should have known right from the beginning that something was wrong… I’m not stupid, but I got sucked in.”– victim of distraction scam

Lynn said the woman was between 5-6 and 5-8 in height with a stocky build and darker complexion. She wore a dress and a headscarf, and spoke with a slight accent that was difficult to place.

The stranger asked Lynn a few questions about herself and then offered her “a gift,” she said.

The woman pulled out numerous pieces of fake gold jewelry from her pockets and quickly wrapped them around Lynn’s arms. After Lynn asked the woman to stop, she disappeared into the parking lot.

The interaction lasted just minutes, she said.

“I took all this stuff off my arm and I look down and my bracelet was gone. I was so upset,” Lynn said. “I guess when she was wrapping the gold around my wrist, she snagged off my bracelet… The embarrassment and the hurt that she did that to me was just so bad.”

She filed a police report, but said she does not expect to recover her bracelet. She is speaking out to raise awareness, and to compel other victims to come forward, she said.

“Unfortunately, a lot of people, after they realize they’ve been scammed they are a little hesitant to report it because they… feel like they’ve been duped and they’re a bit embarrassed,” Winnipeg Police Service Sgt. Randy Lofto said.

“Honestly, a lot of the time it’s just (victims) being good people and not telling (scammers) to leave.”– Winnipeg Police Service Sgt. Randy Lofto

“Honestly, a lot of the time it’s just (victims) being good people and not telling (scammers) to leave.”

Lofto, who leads the property crime unit, said police have received several reports of distraction scams that took place from March to late June. The most recent confirmed incident happened about two weeks ago, but police believe there are other victims who have not come forward, Lofto said.

Investigators received a handful of new reports over the weekend, after WPS issued a public statement warning people to watch out for scammers. The new cases are still being processed, and it is not yet clear when they occurred, he said.

Police said the crimes are believed to be linked to travelling groups of criminals who approach unsuspecting victims in broad daylight and busy public areas such as gas stations, banks and grocery stores.

Sometimes, the suspects ask for directions or money to help pay for gas. In exchange, they offer fake jewelry or valuables. In other instances, they distract their victims and then secretly steal from them, police said.

“It is like the kind of stuff you see in the movies,” Lofto said.

Some suspects have been caught on surveillance camera, and police have identified suspicious vehicles with licence plates from Ontario, Alberta and Florida.

Lofto said it’s possible the criminals are currently lying low, or have moved on to another province and will return later.

“They likely are all aware of each other. We think that they are probably in some way related or know each other, but there are a few groups that are doing it; it’s not just one group,” Lofto said. “They were in Winnipeg last year around this time.”

Winnipeg magician Patrick Gregoire warned that anybody can fall prey to a scammer who specializes in distraction.

“They are not just going to come up to you, put their hands in your pocket and pull stuff out. If someone is touching you, or is in your personal space, that’s a red flag that you need to keep in mind.”– Winnipeg magician Patrick Gregoire, who warns that anybody can fall prey to a distraction scam.

“It’s more about the misdirection than being quick,” he said. “That’s like the dark side of magic. We learn it to entertain, but it’s definitely usable if you want to do some horrible things, unfortunately.”

Gregoire, who is experienced in sleight-of-hand techniques, said people who try such tricks will find excuses to get very close to their targets without arousing suspicion. They might lower a person’s guard by appealing to their politeness, or willingness to help.

“They are not just going to come up to you, put their hands in your pocket and pull stuff out,” he said. “If someone is touching you, or is in your personal space, that’s a red flag that you need to keep in mind. The awareness is step No. 1.”

People who have fallen victim to such scams, or who have information about them, should contact investigators at 204-986-2426, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477 (TIPS) or submit a tip online.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca