Manitoba·NewAggressive robbers are distracting their victims with fake jewelry, hugs and other physical contact, Winnipeg police warn, as they investigate a string of similar crimes in the city’s south end last month.Officers have received dozens of such reports, even in residential neighbourhoodsCBC News · Posted: Oct 01, 2025 3:19 PM EDT | Last Updated: 13 minutes agoConst. Claude Chancy says Winnipeg police have received dozens of reports where victims were distracted before being robbed since March. (CBC)Thefts in Winnipeg where victims are distracted with fake jewelry, hugs and other physical contact are happening more often and aggressively, police warn as they investigate a string of robberies in the city’s south last month.”These individuals prey for the kindness on their victims. They are very approachable, and they seem very friendly. It is almost [like] having a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Const. Claude Chancy told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday.Suspects generally tried to distract their victims and steal from them outside retail stores and at surface parking lots, police said. But the encounters — which have been on the rise, with dozens of reports since March — are now also happening in residential neighbourhoods”That is something of great concern to us,” Chancy said.Winnipeg police received three theft reports last month: one came on Sept. 18 after a dark-coloured SUV pulled up in front of a house on Drake Boulevard in St. BonifaceA woman approached a victim, and under the guise of praying for an ill family member, the thief put fake jewelry on the person’s hand before grabbing two earrings and a necklace the victim was wearing, police said.Winnipeg police received three reports of theft involving distractions in the city’s south end in September. (Jeff Stapleton/CBC)On Sept. 23, a dark-coloured SUV approached a victim on Bridgeland Drive S. in Bridgwater. Police said the suspect tried to hug the victim and stole a bracelet.Officers were also contacted after an elderly couple was approached on Saturday by a man and a woman on John Bruce Road in the Royalwood neighbourhood. One of the thieves managed to steal the jewelry she was wearing and replace it with counterfeit.”These individuals are very, very good at what they do, not only in the distraction techniques that they’re using, but even in identifying the quality of the jewelry that their victims are wearing,” Chancy said.It is unclear whether the thieves are part of a group, but police said those involved in the three robberies appeared to be South Asian and spoke Hindi to some of the victims.Police also believe suspects are targeting elderly victims wearing gold who are not fluent in English.Police says thieves who distract their victims before robbing them generally use rental vehicles with licence plates from other provinces and are stationed in hotels in rural areas on the city’s outskirts.”They are not usually alone … you may have at least two people in the vehicle, usually a male, female, sometimes you’ll even have kids,” Chancy said.In most cases, victims are not aware they have been robbed until they realize their possessions, usually high-value jewelry such as a wedding ring, are no longer with them, Chancy said.Police are asking people approached by a stranger offering a hug, jewelry or something similar to disengage and make a police report, including a description of the person as well as details on the interaction, even if nothing was stolen.Anyone with security, phone or dashcam video regarding similar incidents is asked to contact the major crimes unit at 204-986-6219 or anonymously via Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS.
Sophisticated robbers set up their victims with hugs, fake jewelry: Winnipeg police
