Owen Sound Police are investigating a sleight of hand theft and fraud.

On Tuesday April 23, 2019 police responded to a call for service where a 67 year old woman reported that she had been the victim of a theft known as a ‘sleight-of-hand’.

At approximately 2:00 p.m, the victim made an interac debit purchase at a local business and believed that an unknown woman was attempting to watch her enter her PIN (personal identification number) into the keypad at the register. The victim exited the store and was approached by a man in the parking lot who attempted to give her a $10.00 and a $20.00 bill claiming that she had dropped the money.

The man was adamant she place the currency in her wallet and began touching her wallet showing the victim where the money should go. It is believed a sleight-of-hand theft occurred when the man removed the victim’s bank card from the front portion of her wallet. The bank card was later used at a Toronto Dominion ATM where a total of $980.00 was withdrawn. The bank card was then presented at a financial institution in Owen Sound, where a total of $974.43 was withdrawn for a purchase of $700.00 in American currency.

Male suspect description:

Non-Caucasian
5’7” tall
55-60 years old
165 lbs, medium build
Dark hair
Dark rimmed glasses
Black windbreaker jacket (no logo)
Black baggy pants
Believed to have an accent

If you have any information contact the Owen Sound Police Service at 519-376-1234 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or securely at www.cstip.ca.

We remind the public that criminals are often clever and use many methods to commit crimes. Some tips that you should always consider to protect yourself from theft and fraud:

- Always cover your PIN when pressing the numbers on the debit key pad or when at a bank machine

- Never write your PIN on a paper that you carry with your debit or credit card

- Consider a TAP feature for your card instead of a PIN requirement for purchases

- Always request a paper receipt for a debit or credit purchase

- Never allow anyone to distract you while entering a PIN at the store or at the bank machine

- Never allow an unknown person to assist you with your wallet, purse or handbag if you didn’t ask them for their help

- Do not allow a suspect to confuse you with kind words or insistence that they are trying to help

- If you believe that someone has watched you enter a PIN, change your number as soon as possible or call the telephone number on the back of your card and inform your bank’s security official.

source: media release, OSPS