On January 27, at approximately 12 p.m., a 79-year-old woman shopping at a pharmacy in the 900 block of the Bedford Highway had her wallet stolen from her purse. The victim noticed her wallet missing after leaving the store and reported the theft to police.
A review of video surveillance from the store showed three suspects working together, standing closely behind the victim while watching as she entered her credit card PIN number. As the victim left the store, one suspect walked ahead of her blocking the exit and causing her to have to brush by him. The victim did not realize her wallet was missing until she returned to her car. She went back in the pharmacy but her wallet could not be located. Shortly thereafter, she reported her wallet stolen to police as well as called her bank. Her bank advised that there were several un-authorized transactions on her bank account from other locations in Bedford. The victim lost a substantial amount of money in this theft.
Police are releasing pictures of the suspects and ask for the public’s help identifying them. It’s believed that they are working together and may not be from the area. They are described as:
- A medium complected man, approximately 25-years-old, slim build, wearing a black jacket and baseball cap.
- A medium complected man, approximately 30-years-old, medium build, unshaven, wearing a dark jacket and a dark toque.
- A medium complected woman, approximately 35-years-old, slim build, flat nose, wearing a beige or green winter coat with fur around the hood and a dark toque.
Here are some steps you can take to protect your PIN on both debit and credit cards:
- Always shield the PIN pad when entering your PIN
- Never disclose your PIN to anyone including bank employees, police, friends or family members
- Choose a PIN that’s easy for you to remember and known only to you. You should also consider changing your PIN from time to time
- Avoid using common numbers such as your date of birth, address, social insurance number, phone number, etc.
- If you suspect that your PIN has been compromised, notify your bank immediately
Anyone with information about these suspects or these incidents is asked to contact police at 490-5016. Anonymous tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers by calling toll-free 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submitting a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca or texting a tip – Tip 202 + your message to 274637.
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Source: Media Release
