Halton Regional Police are warning Walmart shoppers following a rash of distraction thefts at Burlington Walmarts recently.
Police say there are multiple suspects involved in the four incidents that have occurred since November of last year.
Police released photos of two suspects Friday (May 10) wanted in connection with two incidents at the Walmart at 4515 Dundas Street in Burlington, in the hopes of triggering arrests.
On Feb. 22, a shopper was at Walmart where a man watched her enter her PIN at the cash register.
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There was an interaction in the parking lot distracting the woman and her financial cards were stolen, police said.
The cards were later used at several locations in Burlington and Brampton.
Police believe the same suspects victimized a man at the same Walmart on Nov. 7. He was shopping at the Walmart in Burlington when he was approached by a man and a “cash distraction” theft occurred.
“Several withdrawals and financial charges later occurred on the victim’s credit card,” said Const. Derek Gray of the force’s Elder Abuse and Financial Crimes Unit.
The men in these incidents are described as being white, aged 30-35.
One was wearing blue jeans, a black winter jacket, gray scarf and a “Straight out of Canada” baseball cap, while the other was wearing blue jeans, a black jacket, and a black baseball cap.
Police have previously warned residents to be on the lookout for the cash distraction scam, which continues to appear in Halton and has happened at least two other times at Burlington Walmarts, including one at the Fairview Street location.
Police said those who perpetrate this scam begin by approaching the victim in a store’s checkout line so they can watch the individual enter their PIN code.
The scammer then approaches the individual, usually in the store’s parking lot, and attempts to return money they say the victim dropped.
In cases involving more than one suspect, one person often distracts the victim with the “found money” while the second covertly removes the victim’s financial cards.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Halton police at 905-825-4747 ext. 2344 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
This article was originally posted here