Police bust 2 suspects in string of East Vancouver distraction thefts

1:04 Arrests made in East Vancouver thefts targeting vulnerable seniors

Vancouver police say they’ve nabbed two people believed to be behind a series of distraction thefts targeting East Vancouver seniors.

Peter Alexandru, 23, and Gratiela Stoian, 18, have each been charged with one count of theft of jewelry.

Vancouver police say they arrested the pair near Kerr Street and East 49th Avenue not long after a 69-year-old man had his necklace stolen after interacting with a woman on the street.

WATCH: VPD warns about distraction thefts targeting seniors (Aired: Aug. 23, 2019)

1:25 VPD warns about distraction thefts targeting seniors

Police issued a warning in August about the thefts, which appeared to target elderly people and visible minorities.

Investigators said the suspects approached victims in their yards or on the street and tried to give them fake jewelry — pilfering their real jewelry in the process.

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Police said they recovered a variety of jewelry following the arrests, some of which has already been returned to its owners.

Anyone with information on the case is urged to contact Vancouver police.