A Calgary-area senior is warning others to be on the lookout for thieves using distraction techniques to steal credit cards.
Calgary Police investigators are working to identify suspects linked to 12 cases of larceny by distraction between late January and early February of this year.
Diane Maul has already gone through a lot this new year: Her husband passed away on Jan. 25, and less than a week later, she was the victim of a burglary.
Maul was shopping at South Trail Crossing on January 31. Around 3:45 p.m. As she was walking towards her vehicle, a man offered to help her due to the bad condition of the road.
After helping Maul put his bag inside, the man said that his tire valve cap was loose.
“I said, ‘That looks fine to me,’ and I pressed and the air came out. I said ‘Give me the top.’ I said I am a farmer girl. There is nothing wrong in that,” said the affable 80-year-old.
That’s when she discovers that a thief has taken her debit and credit cards from her open purse – while the first man was distracting her.
“When he was doing this I always felt like he was in my line of sight, but of course you are not, and apparently there was more than one. It was A helping B helping B.” It was a combination of C,” Maul said.
According to police, two days later Maul learned that he had been defrauded of more than $21,000 through cash withdrawals and transactions.
From late January to early February, 12 cases of distraction theft with many similarities were reported to Calgary Police.
Police believe four suspects are working together to steal financial information by targeting people at major retail chains.
In each case, the victims made purchases using their debit or credit cards and were approached by a man while trying to exit the store or parking lot.
The scam begins with a suspect watching victims enter their PIN. That person then signals to the other suspect that the PIN has been obtained and to proceed with a distraction tactic that allows them to steal the victim’s credit cards.
“It can happen any time of year. In this circumstance, they’re choosing busy days to do it, so they’re not seen in the store — so it’s not easy to identify,” Const said. Sean Vandal with the Calgary Police Service.
“Everyone has to be very careful not to hang onto everything and be very observant—and by the way, I hope people don’t stop helping little old ladies on the street,” Maul laughed.
Maul says she will probably get back the bank account money in a month. The cash he lost, probably not.
“I have home insurance but the deductible is $1,000 so I’m afraid my dog isn’t going to get haircuts for a while, and things like that. It’s obviously massive, and I really I hope people take note – not only for themselves, but for other people as well,” said Maul.
“We are asking Calgarians to beware of this scam and their surroundings when shopping. If you encounter someone who is too close to you, go to a safe place and call store staff or police Report the incident to,” Vandal said.
Maul said he was grateful for the help of the Calgary Police Service and one member in particular who managed to cheer him up. Spending her first Valentine’s Day without her husband and the trauma of the theft unsettle her.
Maul smiled and said, “There was a long time when I was feeling blue and Constable Vandal said, ‘You haven’t got the last box of chocolates yet,’ and he gave me a beautiful box of red chocolates.”
She is also warning people to be prepared if they become a victim of this type of theft.
“It told me one thing – whatever you do make sure you have two bank accounts because if you don’t, what will you do for almost two weeks with no money? Because they will wipe you out completely. Can.
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