Suspects wanted after jewelry stolen in distraction thefts in Halton Region
Police in Halton Region are warning the public after three recent incidents where victims were distracted by suspects and robbed of their jewelry.
The latest theft happened Nov. 5 in Oakville, near Lakeshore Road and Nelson Street, just east on Bronte Road.
Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) said they were called to that area at about 2:30 p.m. after a lone female suspect approached an elderly woman and showed her some fake golden jewelry, including a large gold ring, gold bracelet, and a gold chain.
The suspect then allegedly attempted to hug the victim, placing a chain around her neck and walking away.
Police said the senior realized a short time later that her necklace had been removed.
The suspect is only described as female of an unknown race, and 20 to 30 years old with a heavy build.
Another similar distraction theft happened the afternoon of Oct. 19 in Burlington.
In this case, two suspects approached an elderly man who had just parked his car at the Halton Naval Veterans Association, near North Service Road and Guelph Line.
Police allege that one of the suspects, who was sitting on the passenger’s side, expressed interest in the man’s ring before pulling it off his finger. Then, during a “brief struggle,” the suspect also allegedly pulled a gold chain off his neck, they said.
“In some sort of unwanted exchange, the suspects then handed the male with two fake gold pieces of jewelry and fled the scene,” HRPS said in a release.
The stolen jewelry has an estimated value of about $2,500.
The victim was not physically injured.
The other incident happened outside a Food Basics store in Georgetown on Nov. 2. Police have not provided details about this theft.
They did say that in each case, victims had their jewelry stolen by a stranger who attempted to give them fake gold jewelry.
“While the style of theft is similar, the suspects are not the same for all three of these occurrences,” HRPS said in a news release.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact the #2 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4777, ext. 2216, or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
With files from CTV News Toronto’s Alex Arsenych
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bird flu, measles top 2025 concerns for Canada's chief public health officer
As we enter 2025, Dr. Theresa Tam has her eye on H5N1 bird flu, an emerging virus that had its first human case in Canada this year.
Azerbaijan observes day of mourning for air crash victims as speculation mount about its cause
Azerbaijan on Thursday observed a nationwide day of mourning for the victims of the plane crash that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured as speculation mounted about a possible cause of the disaster that remained unknown.
Donald Trump says he urged Wayne Gretzky to run for prime minister in Christmas visit
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump says he told Canadian hockey legend Wayne Gretzky he should run for prime minister during a Christmas visit but adds that the athlete declined interest in politics.
Thousands without power on Christmas as winds, rain continue in B.C. coastal areas
Thousands of people in British Columbia are without power on Christmas Day as ongoing rainfall and strong winds collapse power lines, disrupt travel and toss around holiday decorations.
Prayers and tears mark 20 years since the Indian Ocean tsunami that killed some 230,000 people
People gathered in prayer and visited mass graves in Indonesia’s Aceh province on Thursday to mark 20 years since the massive Indian Ocean tsunami hit the region in one of modern history’s worst natural disasters.
New York taxi driver hits 6 pedestrians, 3 taken to hospital, police say
A taxicab hit six pedestrians in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday, police said, with three people — including a 9-year-old boy — transported to hospitals for their injuries.
Historical mysteries solved by science in 2024
This year, scientists were able to pull back the curtain on mysteries surrounding figures across history, both known and unknown, to reveal more about their unique stories.
Ho! Ho! HOLY that's cold! Montreal boogie boarder in Santa suit hits St. Lawrence waters
Montreal body surfer Carlos Hebert-Plante boogie boards all year round, and donned a Santa Claus suit to hit the water on Christmas Day in -14 degree Celsius weather.
Canadian activist accuses Hong Kong of meddling, but is proud of reward for arrest
A Vancouver-based activist is accusing Hong Kong authorities of meddling in Canada’s internal affairs after police in the Chinese territory issued a warrant for his arrest.