Two Bradford residents face a total of 130 charges in connection with distraction thefts across Ontario that investigators say mostly targeted seniors.
This past spring, provincial police identified a pattern of criminal activity that began in October 2024, and an investigation, named Project Final, was subsequently launched and led by Nottawasaga OPP.
"The investigation revealed that the accused employed tactics such as "shoulder surfing" to observe victims entering their PINs at financial institutions. Once the PIN was obtained, the suspects would engage the victim in a verbal or physical distraction, during which the victim's debit card was covertly swapped with a previously stolen card," Ontario Provincial Police said in a news release.
Police say this method allowed the suspects to delay detection and use the stolen card to withdraw funds or make purchases, often in the form of gift cards.
The average age of the victims was approximately 75 years old.
One of the accused, a 24-year-old, has been charged with the following:
• Fraud under $5000 - 24 counts
• Property obtained by crime under $5000 - 24 counts
• Theft of credit card - 23 counts
• Unauthorized use of credit card - 24 counts
• Conspiracy to commit indictable offence - one count
An 18-year-old co-accused has been charged with:
• Fraud under $5000 - eight counts
• Property obtained by crime under $5000 - nine counts
• Theft of credit card - eight counts
• Unauthorized use of credit card - eight counts
• Conspiracy to commit indictable offence - one count
Police say the accused are believed to be responsible for at least 23 identified occurrences.
