RCMP Purse scammerPort Coquitlam: The Coquitlam RCMP responded to a theft of a purse from a vehicle on May 10. In thorough investigation, police believe the suspects followed the 58 year-old victim around earlier in the day and secretly recorded the victim’s credit card’s Personal Identification Number when she made a purchase. The suspects then followed her home. As the victim got out of her car, a man and a woman distracted her by asking for water for their overheating engine. She went inside her house to get some water to help the couple. After she gave them the water, she started to unload her grocery from her car.

As the duo was leaving, they asked for more water again in case their engine overheated down the road. The victim went inside to get some more. Upon returning with the water, she discovered the pair had vanished along with her purse.

Despite the fact that the victim contacted the bank minutes later to cancel her credit and debit cards, the bank told her one of the cards had been used a number of times to withdraw cash.

The pair also acted like they were in a relationship by holding hands. The vehicle they were driving was a black Honda.

The pair struck again in Coquitlam on June 8th. They allegedly stole the purse of a 67 year-old victim using a similar modus operandi and money was withdrawn from the victim’s account minutes later.

The police are now asking for the public’s assistance to identify the suspects. The male suspect is described as a Caucasian male about 35 years old. He is approximately 6 feet tall with black greasy hair and wearing a white shirt and jeans.