VPD say nearly $150K lost in 70 distraction thefts this year alone

Vancouver police are warning the public of an increase in distraction thefts in the southeast region of the city.

In a recent Instagram post, the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) shared a map highlighting the high-risk regions of distraction theft. The caption reads, “S” More than 50 of these reported incidents occurred in the southeast region.

“This is not something new, this has been going on for years, but in the last few years we have seen an uptake,” said VPD Const. Tania Visintin.

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In 2021, VPD launched a campaign to warn the public of distraction thefts, following a report of 54 distraction thefts. To raise public awareness, the Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers and the Vancouver Police Foundation placed educational billboards in English, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog around the city.

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Despite their efforts, the number of distraction thefts continues to increase. In the post, VPD stated: “Suspects often work in pairs, sometimes with children, and target elderly people in residential areas and public places.”

Visintin suggested, “This is happening more in the southeast part of the city, which could be because there are more residential homes there.”

1:51 Necklace stolen from senior in East Vancouver distraction theft

According to VPD, suspects use the following tactics to target victims: sob stories and distractions like hand-holding, hugs, or placing fake jewelry to steal valuables.

VPD advise the public:

The VPD is working with their partner agencies to exchange information and further investigate the issue. For more information, visit Distraction Theft – Vancouver Police Department