Toronto

2 suspects wanted in distraction thefts in Scarborough targeting elderly people

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Victoria Miclescu, 37, is wanted by Toronto Police Service.

Two suspects are wanted in connection with two distraction thefts in Scarborough targeting elderly people.

Toronto police said the first one occurred on April 5 in the area of Birchmount Road and Eglinton Avenue East.

A man was sitting in his car when two women approached him and asked for directions to distract him, police said.

While he was helping the women, his gold necklace was removed from his neck and replaced with a fake one.

The woman shortly fled in a black SUV.

The other incident happened on April 17 near Ellesmere and Wye Valley Roads, west of Kennedy Road.

A woman approached a female victim and engaged her in conversation, police said. She allegedly tried to remove the victim’s gold chain but was unsuccessful.

The suspect then fled in a black SUV.

In a news release on Saturday, police identified one suspect as 37-year-old Victoria Miclescu. She is wanted for theft over $5,000 and attempted theft not exceeding $5,000.

Police have not been able to identify the other suspect.

“Investigators believe that the suspect targets elderly victims,” police said.