Hamilton police identify suspects in distraction theft surge targeting seniors inside stores

Hamilton police say an operation called Project Heirloom identified suspects linked to a sharp rise in distraction-style thefts that targeted older shoppers inside grocery stores, thrift shops and in parking lots. Investigators recorded 96 distraction thefts in the city by November 2025, a tally police said exceeded the combined total of those incidents from 2021 to 2024. Over a two-month enforcement phase, police said they solved 10 cases, identified 11 accused people and laid roughly 83 criminal charges.

Detectives described a repeatable modus operandi that will be familiar and unsettling to anyone who works the front end. Suspects approached elderly customers on the sales floor or in store vestibules and used tactics such as placing costume jewelry on victims, swapping jewelry for cheap pieces, blocking vehicles, or otherwise diverting attention long enough to remove wallets or record PINs. Stolen bank cards were later used to withdraw thousands of dollars from victims’ accounts, and in one reported incident a high-value luxury watch was taken after a suspect placed jewelry on a shopper.

Key incidents cited by investigators include an alleged Nov. 8, 2025 theft at a Food Basics on Mohawk Road East and a follow-up at Mission Thrift on Upper Gage Avenue where wallets and PIN information were reportedly taken. A concerned citizen interrupted a Nov. 18, 2025 distraction theft at a Food Basics on Barton Street East, and a Dec. 21, 2025 parking-lot jewelry theft near Queen Street North left an elderly victim robbed; two suspects tied to that parking-lot incident were reported to be in custody.

Hamilton police executed search warrants at two homes they linked to the network and described patterns consistent with an organized approach. “Early in the investigation, detectives identified consistent patterns among the suspects,” Hamilton police wrote in a media release. Investigators say suspects often travelled into Hamilton for single-day theft sprees, relied on short-term rental units in areas such as Scarborough, frequently switched rental vehicles and then left the city for weeks to commit similar offences elsewhere in southern Ontario. The evidence from the searches suggested coordinated activity across jurisdictions, and investigators warned additional victims may exist.

Several accused have been named in reporting. Toronto Sun coverage lists detailed charges for several people described as wanted or accused: Ana Marie Petrescu, 46, and Florian Stoian, 40, were linked to the Nov. 8 incidents and are reported as wanted on multiple counts including theft under $5,000, identity theft, trafficking in credit card data and use of a stolen credit card. Toronto Sun also named George Ungur and Gina Ungur as wanted on multiple counts related to use of stolen credit cards, identity theft and possession of property obtained by crime. Reports say Florin and Elvira Zmarandache, both 37, were arrested after a Scarborough search warrant, later released on conditions that police allege were breached, and are now believed by investigators to have fled Canada with warrants outstanding. Media accounts vary slightly on the final total of charges; most sources report 83 counts while one line reported 84.

For grocery employees, the practical implications are immediate. These thefts exploit the routines of busy checkouts and customer assistance; senior shoppers are the primary targets. Hamilton police reiterated a basic safety briefing for staff and customers: “These crimes involved suspects deliberately distracting elderly victims in retail stores, parking lots and public spaces in order to steal wallets, jewelry and banking information.” Police also advised that “Legitimate strangers do not place jewelry on people, block vehicles or ask for help in store vestibules.”

Managers and front-line workers should review loss-prevention protocols, reinforce vestibule and parking-lot awareness with teams, and remind staff to offer visible assistance to older customers so they are not left alone with unknown shoppers. Hamilton’s investigation remains active, several accused remain wanted or out of custody, and police say more victims may come forward. For now, the case is a reminder that the kinds of diversion tactics that create shrink also create real harm to vulnerable customers, and that vigilance on the grocery floor can make the difference between a stolen wallet and a prevented crime.