Greater Victoria police are warning people to be on the lookout for parking lots following several reports of burglary this month.
Both the Saanich Police Department and the West Shore RCMP issued public alerts after three women had similarly stolen their wallets since Friday.
Officers believe two men are working together to distract and then steal their victims.
His modus operandi has been for a man to approach a vehicle and tell the driver that a sharp object is stuck in one of his tires. When they start inspecting the damage, another man moves unseen and steals their wallet.
“We believe they are watching women carrying a bag or backpack as they return to their vehicle as they know it will be left unattended inside while they are distracted,” Const said. Markus Anastasiades in a statement.
The first reported incident took place on June 3 at Broadmead Mall, where Saanich police say a woman’s wallet was stolen around noon.
On June 4 around 2 p.m., Saanich police said a second victim had returned to his vehicle with a small child after shopping at Uptown Mall when a man knocked on his window and told him he said there was something wrong with his tire. When he came out, he saw some thumbtacks stuck.
When the victim returned to his car, police say they noticed that his wallet, which had been in the front seat, had disappeared.
Related crimes
Just an hour before the alleged Uptown robbery, a victim was also attacked in Langford, BC, prompting the West Shore RCMP to issue a statement asking the public for help in identifying the suspects.
The alleged robbery took place in a retail car park on Block 800 at Langford Parkway, where a suspect once again told a woman that an object had been punctured in her tire while another suspect entered her vehicle and stole her wallet. while she was distracted.
Police believe the Langford victim was followed as she went shopping so thieves could try to find out her PIN number. The money was stolen from the victim’s account with his bank card.
Police said CCTV footage from the Langford car park shows a man putting something on the victim’s tire and then approaching his window to get his attention. It also shows a second suspect entering the other side of the car.
West Shore RCMP has released this image of one of the suspects leaving a store in Langford. (West Shore RCMP) The West Shore RCMP and the Saanich Police Department are working together to locate the suspects. This image was also captured in Langford. (West Shore RCMP)
West Shore RCMP Const. Meghan Groulx said in a statement that police believe the incidents in both municipalities are related.
“If a stranger approaches you and you think he or she is suspicious or similar to this report, don’t commit and contact the police,” Groulx said.
The Langford victim says the man who approached her was olive-skinned, about five feet eight inches tall, and weighed about 160 pounds. He reportedly spoke with an accent.
Anyone with information about these suspects, or anyone else who has been scammed, can contact the West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264 or the Saanich Police Department at 250-475-4321. . For anonymous tips, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.