Theft Ring Targeting Elderly At Pearson Airport
Posted July 20, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Peel police are warning air travellers to hold onto their belongings following a rash of distraction thefts targeting the elderly at Pearson Airport.
“The culprits that do these are very experienced at what they do and are very good at distracting people and they pick out their targets,” explains Const. Tony Bayley. “Right now they are targeting elderly people.”
Police say the suspects work as a team. While one distracts the victim by helping them to obtain a taxi, the other slides in and takes their belongings.
“They get distracted in another direction, from there the bag gets taken,” confirms Bayley.
Police say crime rings like this are nothing new. They move from airport to airport seeking out untouched territory.
Pearson has upped security, but police are still warning travelers to be alert.
“There is a large population that comes through Pearson, 30 million passengers a year and your are going to have some crime here, but this is a slight increase in that right now.”
