Suspects charged after targeting people with distraction thefts in parking lots

Windsor police cruisers seen at Windsor's City Hall in Windsor, Ont. on Aug. 12, 2025. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

Windsor police have arrested three suspects in connection with a series of distraction thefts in parking lots.

Between March and May 2026, officers responded to multiple reports involving suspects targeting people in parking lots across Windsor.

In each incident, police say the suspects approached victims, engaged them in conversation, and used distraction and physical contact, such as hugging, to steal their jewelry.

Shortly before 10 a.m. on Wednesday, the suspects approached a woman in Amherstburg and engaged her in conversation before allegedly stealing her jewelry. Less than an hour later, police received a report of a similar incident in a parking lot in the 3100 block of Dougall Avenue, where suspects allegedly replaced a victim’s real jewelry with costume pieces before fleeing in a vehicle.

About one hour later, members of the Windsor Police Target Base Unit located the suspect vehicle near Crawford Avenue and Tecumseh Road West and took three suspects into custody without incident.

A 38-year-old woman, 23-year-old man, and 22-year-old woman are each charged with:

• Theft over $5,000 (x 2)
• Fraud over $5,000 (x 2)
• Theft under $5,000 (x 4)
• Fraud under $5,000 (x 4)
• Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 (x 2)
• Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000 (x 4)
• Conspiracy to commit an indictable offence

The 38-year-old is also charged with two counts of failure to comply with a probation order.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Windsor Police Service Target Base Unit at 519-255-6700, ext. 4350. They can also contact Windsor & Essex County Crime Stoppers anonymously at 519-258-8477 (TIPS) or online at www.catchcrooks.com.