Kingston, Ont., police have released photos of a group of men suspected to be part of a network of scam artists and thieves operating in the city.
The suspects have all been involved in recent distraction-based theft at local big-box and grocery stores in Kingston, police allege.
The thefts usually see the suspects perpetrate some form of a ruse in a business parking lot, while another suspect steals a wallet or purse from the distracted victim.
The theft comes after suspects have already acquired a victim’s PIN number by, in some cases, standing unnecessarily close behind them at the checkout or in other cases by using their phones to take phots of video of victims entering their PIN code.
The suspects then use the stolen debit and credit cards to make large purchases or withdraw funds from the victim’s accounts.
Kingston police first reported the most recent rash of theft in mid-January, but now say they’ve received multiple reports of the scam.
They say the suspects are likely part of a network that tend to prey on vulnerable members of a community, including seniors, before moving onto other towns and cities.
Get daily Kingston news
Investigators say the suspects involved are often described as having, what sounds like, eastern European or other noticeably strong accents.
Anyone with information about the suspects are asked to call Kingston police at 613-549-4660.