Surrey Police Service (SPS) is notifying the public of a number of distraction thefts that have occurred since January 1, 2025, in the City of Surrey.

Since the start of the year there have been several distraction thefts that have occurred in Surrey. While there are varied suspect and vehicle descriptions and locations throughout the city, officers with SPS and the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit (SPOSU) are actively investigating all these similar offence incidents.

Some common Modus Operandi (M.O.) include:

• One or more persons approach a victim and advise them they need gas and convince the victim to provide them with money on the spot or to withdraw cash from their bank accounts.
• One or more persons approach a victim and attempts to sell them gold jewellery or an iPhone. After the transaction, the victims discover that the gold is fake, and the phone does not function.
• One or more persons approach a victim and during their interaction remove the victims’ jewellery and replace it with costume jewellery.

SPS is advising the public to be aware of their surroundings and to familiarize themselves with these current crime M.O.’s.  If anyone notices suspicious persons or vehicles following them, they should contact SPS immediately. Finally, SPS is discouraging the public from purchasing any items from strangers who approach them in public or from non trusted sources.

See attached map with locations of reported offences.