Edmonton police looking for thief after 16 reports of stolen lottery tickets

The Edmonton Police Service has issued multiple warrants after over a dozen reports of stolen lottery tickets across the city.

The first report came in on Dec. 5, 2017, when a “large quantity” of lottery tickets were stolen from a gas station in the area of 50 Street and 23 Avenue, a news release said on Friday.

Then, on Dec. 10, police allege a man attempted to cash in between 500 and 700 tickets at a convenience store near 84 Avenue and 112 Street.

Witnesses report the thefts occur when a man distracts the clerk with various tasks like asking for cigarettes or to use the phone.

Injuries were reported in one theft. On Feb. 28, a man reportedly entered a west Edmonton grocery store and was confronted by an employee who told police he recognized the suspect from allegedly being involved in a similar theft of lottery tickets at the same location earlier in the month.

The suspect reached over the counter and stole a board full of lottery tickets and ran away. The clerk chased after the man, when it’s alleged the man stopped and punched the clerk in the throat.

The most recent theft happened on Thursday, when a man entered a grocery store in northeast Edmonton and stole an undisclosed amount of tickets.

Deston Ethier, 23, is facing seven charges of theft under $5,000, robbery and possession of stolen property.

Anyone with information about Ethier’s whereabouts is asked to call Edmonton police at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.