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Two people accused of carrying out distraction thefts across Canada have been arrested.
Barrie Police say a 27-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman from Scarborough were taken into custody in Winnipeg in July as part of an investigation into distraction thefts.
The investigation continued in partnership with Windsor Police Service, where officers recovered a significant quantity of jewelry while executing a search warrant at a residence.
Investigators determined the pair had travelled across Canada and carried out thefts in multiple locations. Police linked the suspects and their vehicle to a distraction theft reported in Barrie on June 28th at a residence on Lay Street.
In that incident, a 75-year-old man was standing in his driveway when a late-model, dark-coloured SUV arrived with a male driver and female passenger.
The woman, described as having gold teeth, engaged the senior in a brief conversation before offering him a necklace. As she placed it around his neck, she stole the gold necklace he was wearing, which had his wedding ring attached.
The victim did not realize the theft had occurred until the suspects had driven away.
Police later located the stolen necklace and wedding ring among the jewelry recovered during the investigation. On October 11th, Barrie Police returned the items to the victim.
Investigators believe there may be additional victims connected to the suspects and are asking anyone who believes they or someone they know may have been targeted to contact the lead investigator by email at 7430@barriepolice.ca.
