Hamilton thieves distract victims with shiny things

Police are asking for the public's help in solving two bizarre crimes involving distraction and gold chains in Hamilton over the last week.

On Aug. 16 around 4:30 p.m., a 72-year-old woman got off a bus on Cannon Street and Frederick Avenue.

As she walked east on Cannon, she was stopped by a woman who began to speak to her in a language the woman didn't recognize.

A second woman then joined them and wrapped the victim's hands in gold chains, and put two gold rings on her fingers.

In the confusion, the victim's gold bracelet was taken by the pair, police say. A van drove up northbound on Fenwick Avenue and the two females got in and fled. The victim then called police.

The woman is described as having a medium build with brown skin.

Then on Friday, a different woman approached a 67-year-old man sitting on a bench near Charlton Avenue East and John Street.

The woman distracted the man by acting emotional over the death of her father in hospital, police say.

She was carrying a number of gold-plated necklaces she said belonged to her dead father.

She kept saying she couldn't keep them, and placed them over the man's head.

After giving him a bag of other necklaces, the woman left in an four-door black vehicle eastbound on Charlton Avenue, believed to be driven by a man, police say.

When the victim got home, he noticed he was missing the gold necklace he was wearing at the time of the incident.

His necklace was more valuable than the ones he had been given, police say.

The woman is described as white, short and chunky, in her 50s with black hair, gold in her teeth and speaking with an undetermined accent.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact Hamilton Police Division Two detectives at 905-546-2918.