By Staff
May 1st, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
During February and March 2018, three elderly female victims were shopping at Ikea, Costco and one local Metro grocery store in the City of Burlington.
Each victim was targeted and their wallets were stolen in typical distraction style theft. Their credit cards were then later used at various stores and banks to obtain cash and products.
With assistance from York Regional Police, Halton police were able to identify the three accused for their involvement.
Arrested/Charged are:
Thiberius-Mihai FLOREA (29 yrs) of North York (held for bail and will appear next May 2, 2018)
• Unauthorized use of stolen credit card (two counts)
• Fraud under $5000 (two counts)
• Possession of property obtained by crime (two counts)
Suraj BRATIANU (41 years) of Markham (held for bail and will appear next May 2, 2018)
• Unauthorized use of stolen credit card
• Fraud under $5000
• Possession of property obtained by crime
Costel LAPADAT (34years) of Toronto (released on a promise to appear in Milton Court on May 23, 2018)
• Unauthorized use of stolen credit card
• Fraud under $5000
• Possession of property obtained by crime
Anyone with information regarding these incidents or other purse thefts is asked to contact Detective Constable Derek Gray of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Vulnerable Persons and Seniors Liaison Team at 905-825-4747 ext. 2344.
Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See Something? Hear Something? Know Something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca
Police continue to received reports of such thefts. The persons targeted are typically female senior citizens whose purses and/or wallets were stolen from their shopping carts while the owner was not looking. In some cases multiple offenders work in teams to distract the victim, bump their carts or ask for their assistance in the store or parking lot.
Watch the Crime Stoppers Video of purse thefts (actual footage) at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRxIeFBXyEE
Halton Regional Police are reminding residents to keep a close eye on their purses and wallets.
Prevention Tip: Residents are reminded to only carry the necessary identification such as Driver’s Licence or Health Card, and should try to minimize this potential loss by leaving their SIN card, birth certificate and passports securely at home.
If you become a victim of a purse or wallet theft please contact your financial services providers, cancel you cards and then call the Halton Regional Police to file a report.
