Police are looking for three people suspected of using distraction to steal a gold necklace from a south-end resident.
Police were called to a south-end home around 9:20 p.m. Saturday for a report of suspicious behaviour. A woman was out front of her home when she was approached by three suspects in two vehicles who asked for water for a sick passenger, a news release said. They then said their mother had recently passed away and it was her wish for her jewelry to be given away, it said. They tried to give a gold necklace to the homeowner, but she refused it and they drove away.
A short time later the suspects stopped at another home and told a similar story. They claimed their mother was dying in hospital and they wanted to give away her gold jewelry.
The homeowner declined, but one of the suspects forced a gold-coloured necklace onto her neck and gave her a gold men’s ring, then left, it said. A short time later the homeowner realized the one-ounce solid gold necklace she had been wearing was gone, it said.
Police believe the suspects are targeting middle aged women with gold jewelry and are using distraction to switch their low-end jewelry for the women’s high-end jewelry.
The suspects included two women, one white, 35 to 40 years old, with a very fair complexion. She was heavy set and spoke with a Middle Eastern or eastern European accent. The third suspect was a man, non-white, heavy set and possibly Middle Eastern, the release said.
They were driving a dark-coloured older van and a light-coloured Audi.