Belleville, Ont., police have made two arrests in relation to the popular ‘grandparent scam’ making its way through much of the region.
On March 16, police were called to a home in the city’s west end after an elderly person called to say she had been contacted by someone saying they were a bail officer.
According to police, part of the high-pressure scam involved the caller advising that a relative was being held and required thousands of dollars to be released from custody.
After collecting a large initial sum of money, police say the scammers called the resident again, saying more money was required to complete the transaction. The victim then contacted the police.
Officers set up surveillance and following a brief foot chase, arrested two suspects as they attended the residence. Both were held for a bail hearing.
El Mahdi El Caiche, 20, of Quebec is charged with fraud over $5,000, impersonating an officer and a number of Highway Traffic Act charges.
Dave Jolivet, 22, of Toronto is charged with fraud over $5,000, impersonating an officer and breach of probation.