Police Release Video Of Pickpockets Near Toronto & The Tricks They Use

York Regional Police is warning shoppers in the Vaughan area about an increase in pickpocketing, with several charges laid for "distraction thefts" in the city, according to a press release.

YRP said officers have received "an increase in theft reports occurring at shopping locations in Vaughan" since the fall of 2021 and early this year.

Police said that most of the thefts had female victims who were shopping between the hours of 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Cellphones and wallets were the main items that were stolen, with the suspects managing to swipe them by "distracting the victims."

A video released by police shows the theft tactics caught on camera. The video shows pickpockets using techniques like working in pairs and using clothing items to disguise a theft.

In the video, the first clip shows two individuals standing behind a person with a bag. One of the suspects acts as a "shield" to block the theft from view as the other takes the victim's wallet out of their bag.

In the second clip, a pickpocket comes up from behind a shopper sorting through a rack of clothes and slips their arm through a piece of clothing before reaching into the person's bag and taking an item.

A third clip shows a pickpocket reaching into a shopper's pocket to steal an item.

Officers have identified several suspects and three people have been arrested so far. YRP is encouraging any other victims to contact the police.

Police advise shoppers to be aware of their surroundings and to keep "valuables in safe and secure locations that would be difficult for someone else to access without your knowledge."

"'Criminals are opportunists. Don't give them the opportunity to make you a victim of crime."