Police have arrested a man who allegedly broke into a home in Markham using a child to distract the homeowners after he tried a similar tact at another home on Friday afternoon.
York Regional Police say a man attended a home near Woodbine and 16th avenues around 2:45 p.m., and allegedly attempted to use a child as a distraction to enter the residence.
However, police said the resident was “aware of this distraction technique due to public awareness through a media release” and contacted authorities.
Officers were able to locate the suspect and arrest him. As a result, 23-year-old Ivadar Padure of Oshawa has been charged with three counts of break and enter.
The child was not charged due to being under the age of 12, police said.
Padure’s arrest comes days after police say he allegedly broke into a couple’s home in Markham.
According to police, on Dec. 13, around noon, a boy of 10 to 12 years of age went to the front door of a house near Rodick Road and 16th Avenue.
When the occupant of the home answered the door, the boy said he kicked a ball over the fence and needed to get into the backyard to retrieve it, police said.
Police said the homeowner escorted the boy to the yard to look for the ball, but none was found.
The child then left and as the victim returned to the front of the house, an unknown man was seen leaving the home.
Police said the suspect allegedly snuck into the home as the homeowner was in the backyard with the child and went through rooms, stole cash from a purse, then left through the front door.
Following the incident, the 71-year-old homeowner, who asked to remain anonymous, told Global News he and his wife who were home at the time and felt “violated.”
“It’s just unfortunate that they used a kid,” he said.
Police noted that a similar incident reportedly occurred on Dec. 6 at around 4:25 p.m. in the area of McCowan Road and Raymerville Drive in Markham.
A boy and a girl told the occupant of a home that they lost a ball in the backyard, but the occupant thought it was suspicious and didn’t cooperate, police said.
The children left and a ball wasn’t found, police added.
“Although no theft occurred, police are trying to determine if there is a link between the incidents,” officers said.
An investigation is ongoing and anyone with information or relevant video footage is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
– With files from Global News’ Ryan Rocca and Catherine McDonald