A man had his gold chain plucked off his neck by a skilled pickpocket in Dollard-des-Ormeaux on April 3.
The victim parked his car in the Galéries des Sources parking lot near the Marathon Souvlaki restaurant at around 4:30 p.m. when he noticed a van pull up right behind his car, Montreal Police constable Chantal Castonguay from Station 4 said.
A man was in the driver’s seat. The victim was walking away from his car when a woman stepped out of the van and approached him, asking for directions to the Lakeshore General Hospital. While she was thanking him for his help she came in close and gave his elbow a squeeze. A few minutes later, he noticed his chain was gone.
Both suspects spoke English. The man was around 45 years old. The woman was thin, around 50 years old, stood around 5 feet, 6 inches tall and was wearing a head scarf.
Castonguay warned the public to be vigilant when approached by a stranger. “It’s not normal for a person to ask for directions and come in that close,” Castonguay said. “Keep your distance if approached.”