Peterborough police have released images of suspects in an alleged distraction theft scam last month.
Police say last month, three men dressed in matching construction outfits distracted a senior at the checkout line at a Lansdowne Street grocery store and then allegedly stole his debit card.
Police say while the victim was paying with a debit card, one of the men allegedly got directly behind him and observed the man enter the card’s personal identification number (PIN). A second suspect dropped money on the ground near the victim and informed him he had dropped cash.
“The victim believed it to be a distraction since he doesn’t carry cash,” police stated. “At some point during the interaction, the victim’s debit card was taken from him.”
Police say a third suspect was also in the area of the checkout line. All three left the store after the interaction.
The victim later discovered his debit card was missing and called his bank who informed him the card had been used three times at various ATM machines where approximately $1,820 was withdrawn, police said.
“We are asking residents to remain vigilant when at a store checkout and to report any suspicious behaviour to police,” police stated.
Suspect 1: 40 to 50 years old with a heavy set, standing six-foot-one to six-foot-three and has a dark goatee. He was wearing a black baseball hat with a Miami Marlins logo.
Suspect 2: Approximately 30-40 years old, six-foot-one to six-foot-three, medium build with a black, yellow and white Batman toque.
Suspect 3: Tan skin, mid-30s, standing five-foot-seven to five-foot-nine with a thin build and unshaven dark facial hair. He wore a black toque with a white West Coast Choppers logo.
All three suspects wore a construction jacket with green and silver reflective stripes.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Peterborough Police Service at 705-876-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or Crime Stoppers online.
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