Nine of the crimes have been reported to police since last January, when a woman who was a customer at the Royal Oak Walmart noticed her debit card was missing after using it to make a purchase. Calgary police have released a series of photos of suspects believed to be connected to the crimes. Calgary Police Service In March, police say a man leaving the Costco at 75 East Hills Blvd. Four suspects approached S.E. who removed his wallet returning it to his pocket. The man told police he felt something was wrong and when he checked his wallet, he realized his cash and credit cards had been stolen. She reported the theft to store staff who then notified the police. That same month, a woman said a man and a woman approached her as she was leaving the Beacon Hill Costco location.
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Fraudsters work together to distract their victims, allowing them to get away with credit or debit cards. Calgary Police Service The couple left the store in front of her, she said. Soon after, the woman noticed withdrawals from her bank account and discovered her wallet had been taken from her purse. “In the last month, six additional distraction thefts have been reported to our investigators, and we ask that the public be aware of this scam and their surroundings when shopping,” police said in a news release. “We believe that many individuals are working together in groups to steal financial information and target victims, often elderly people, at retail stores where contactless payments, such as payment by faucet, are not offered.” Six additional distraction thefts occurred in the past month, according to police. Calgary Police Service Police urge the public to physically block the view when using payment or debit cards at store checkouts or bank ATMs. People should be aware of others coming to them in an unusual manner and if they are told money has fallen when they haven’t, move to a safe place and report the encounter. Anyone with information about these crimes or who suspects they have been targeted is asked to call police at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477. [email protected] Twitter: @BKaufmannjrn
