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Hamilton police say they are looking for four people who worked together to steal a senior’s debit and credit cards — and her PIN numbers — at a west-end Fortinos grocery store in December.
It’s the latest report in a spike of “distraction thefts,” police said in a news release Monday.
The Dec. 6 theft happened at about 3 p.m., when police say four suspects targeted the woman while she was shopping at the grocery chain’s location at Main Street West and Rifle Range Road, near McMaster University.
They worked “in concert” to learn her PIN and steal her wallet from her purse, then withdrew about $3,500 in cash from her accounts and made an additional $750 in purchases, police said.
Here is how police describe the suspects:
An older male wearing a dark flat cap, glasses, red gloves, a dark winter coat, dark pants and shoes.A person in a navy-blue Nike jacket, black knit toque, light-coloured scarf and dark pants.A man who was wearing a grey knit toque with a logo, a dark jacket with a light-coloured hood and carrying a red bottle.A person wearing a light-coloured winter jacket, fur-lined hat and scarf, who was pushing a shopping cart.
Hamilton police released these images of their suspects in the latest distraction theft report. (Courtesy of Hamilton Police Service)Distraction thefts on the rise
The incident came near the end of a year that saw a large increase in distraction thefts in Hamilton and across Canada, police said.
Suspects often worked in groups, starting conversations with seniors and sometimes forcing physical contact on their victims as a way of exchanging jewelry.
London, Ont. resident Gail Hoevenaars said thieves wrapped fake gold jewelry around her wrist as a distraction while they quietly removed her more expensive bracelet. (Kendra Seguin/CBC News)
Police said in October that reports of distraction theft in Hamilton had increased by 87 per cent from the previous year, up from 39 to 74 cases.
“Investigators note that suspects typically target older adults aged 60 to 90 and often work in pairs or groups — one suspect distracts the victim while others commit the theft,” police said at the time.
On Tuesday, police spokesperson Adam Kimber said there have been 25 reports of distraction theft since Nov. 17 and that police have made arrests in several cases.
“We have identified numerous suspects and effected arrests for several cases but more work and more arrests are forthcoming,” Kimber said in an email.
Suspects often use an excuse to get close enough to the victim to touch them, with the victim discovering later that their jewelry or valuables have been stolen, sometimes replaced with a cheap imitation.
In September, a woman in Flamborough went to a senior’s home and replaced her necklace while hugging her in her entranceway.
WATCH | Distraction theft suspect caught on door camera:
Distraction theft suspect caught on camera
Hamilton police released a video of a suspect involved in a distraction theft targeting a senior. The incident happened on Sept. 8, 2025, when a woman entered the victim’s home under the guise of knowing them. The woman embraced the victim with a hug and kiss, then swapped the woman’s genuine gold necklace for a fake necklace.
That same month, a 76-year-old man on the west Mountain had his necklace stolen after he was approached by two men in a black Audi who said they had a gift from their mother for him, encouraged him to lean closer and placed a necklace around his neck and a ring on his finger.
Police have shared several similar incidents since, in parts of the city including Parkdale, Westdale, Upper James Street, Ancaster and Stoney Creek.
They encourage people to be cautious with strangers who approach unexpectedly, attempt physical contact, or offer jewelry.
“Keep personal belongings and jewelry secure and out of sight in public spaces,” they said in a release issued last fall, encouraging people to report suspicious behaviour of this kind. “If you feel unsafe, create distance and seek help immediately.”