In the last month police have received a number of reports from individuals who have been defrauded by suspects who tell stories that are designed to either tug on the heartstrings or to elicit desire for financial gain.
In some cases victims purchase discounted gold jewelry thinking it’s the real thing, while in others, victims are told a compelling story and are expertly distracted while suspects remove the victim’s real gold jewelry and replace it with fakes.
“The suspects don’t come off as aggressive,” explains West Division Det. Dave Thomson. “They appear to be overly friendly. They get into people’s personal space and they distract them. In some cases they hug the victim or grab their hand, in other cases they simply overwhelm the victim’s senses because there are multiple suspects touching them in multiple places while speaking to them. By the time the victim is aware of what’s happening, it’s too late; the suspects have fled in their vehicle.”
Victims are men and women from every age group and ethnicity, but police warn that seniors and members of visible minorities have been a popular target for these suspects.
Police are asking Edmontonians to be on the lookout for a number of middle aged suspects described as Roma men and women who are dark skinned with an eastern European accent. While several reports indicate that the suspects are traveling in a white vehicle, police believe that the suspects are highly transient and may be using various vehicles.
Anyone who has information regarding these suspects or who believes they were a victim of this scam is urged to contact the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.tipsubmit.com/start.htm.