Theft turns into scam
A purse theft that turned into a scam has New Westminster police issuing a warning for the public to keep their personal information safe.
NWPD report a purse was stolen from a vehicle in front of the owner's residence on Oct. 22. Shortly after she discovered the theft she got a phone call from a blocked number. The man at the other end said he was a police officer and had arrested the suspect. He then said he was transferring her to the security section of her bank. That's when a woman's voice came on the phone and convinced the victim to reveal her personal identification number for her bank cards so they could be replaced.
New West police arrived a little while later and discovered the call was a sham.
The department advises against leaving valuable items in vehicles and to remove all possessions when parking, including shopping bags, spare change, electronics and briefcases.
"Be extremely vigilant in revealing any personal information over the phone or internet to anyone," said Staff-Sgt. Paul Hyland in a press release. "If you are unsure if you are talking with a police officer, request their name, badge number and a callback number so you can be sure it is legitimate."
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