A 36-year-old woman from Manitoba wanted for allegedly stealing $800 from a blind woman who travelled by bus from Sudbury, Ont., to Toronto to receive medical treatment has turned herself in.
The suspect, identified as Angela Bluecoat, turned herself in to police Thursday afternoon and was charged with theft under $5000.
Toronto police said the theft took place in the early morning hours of Oct. 17 after the victim befriended the suspect and offered to stay with her at a Comfort Inn in North York.
“The suspect advised the victim that she was homeless, had been through some recent tragedy, and had nowhere to stay for the evening,” Insp. Colin Greenaway told reporters during a press conference Thursday morning.
“When the victim woke up at 5 a.m. in the morning, she noticed that $800 she brought with her for hotel fees, bus rides, food and lodging, were all stolen.”
Police said the victim only had $100 left in her bra and had no means to get to her medical appointment or return home.
“This is a cowardly act. This is a person who’s taken advantage of someone who has a disability and has a great heart, and was trying to help another person,” Greenaway said.
Greenaway said an officer from 31 Division, just several blocks away from the hotel, kindly took it upon himself to drive the victim to receive her medical care.
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“Just like the great citizens of Toronto, we have some great police officers here,” he said.
READ MORE: Blind Toronto woman victim of theft
A GoFundMe page was set up by the victim’s daughter following the theft to raise money for her mother to return home. The donations surpassed the goal of $1,000 with a total of more than $3,500 by the day after the campaign started.
An update on the website Wednesday said the victim had safely returned home.
“She made it home and is just happy to be back home and she’d like to thank everyone for the support and kind words and is overwhelmed with all the amazing people who helped any way they could and for those who just had kind words it means a lot to her,” the message said.
Bluecoat is scheduled to appear in a Toronto court Friday.
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