Winnipeg police are on the lookout for the suspects behind a sophisticated pickpocket scam.
Police said they received several reports of stolen debit cards between July 29 and Aug. 7, and that the circumstances around each theft suggest a ‘well-planned scam’.
One suspect, police said, would wait in line behind an unsuspecting shopper at a store, and watch over the victim’s shoulder to make a note of their PIN when they paid at the cashier with a debit card.
A second suspect would then distract the victim in the parking lot once they left the store– often by pointing out money on the ground or a possible flat tire — while the victim’s entire wallet was being pickpocketed.
Because the suspects would have both the card and the PIN, they were able to cause ‘significant financial losses’, said police.
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Police are urging Winnipeggers to always cover their PIN when entering the number, and to be aware of their surroundings after using a debit card.
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