Elderly Ottawa Woman Victim of Distraction Theft, Police Investigation Ongoing

On September 11, 2023, an 80-year-old woman named Madeleine Gervais became the victim of a distraction theft in Ottawa’s west end. The incident occurred in the Loblaws parking lot at College Square. According to reports, Gervais was approached by a man and a woman who offered to help her load her groceries into her car.

While one of the suspects distracted Gervais by assisting with her groceries, the other covertly fished through her backpack, successfully stealing her wallet. “I went back in the car. I didn’t think anything of it. I just told my husband, ‘They were so nice and polite,’ and then we went back home,” Gervais recounted.

The following day, upon checking her financial accounts online, Gervais discovered a series of fraudulent transactions on her credit cards totaling roughly $10,000. “I went to the bank right away and they checked. It was true, there was money taken from personal account and my business account,” she said, noting that various personal documents were also stolen.

After contacting the bank and her credit card company to reclaim her lost finances, Gervais still hoped the suspects would be brought to justice. Her daughter, Valerie Gervais, assisted in reporting the crime to the Ottawa Police Service. They initially experienced difficulties with the reporting process, facing long waits and being advised to file multiple reports for each stolen card.

This delay in communication prompted Valerie and her sister Christine Gervais to turn to social media, where they found several other victims who reported similar experiences. Despite limited response from the police, the family eventually received confirmation from an investigator that the case remained open following further inquiries from CTV News Ottawa.

The experience has left Madeleine Gervais’ daughters feeling disillusioned. “It is very, very frustrating and quite frankly, it doesn’t make us feel any safer in this city,” said Christine Gervais.

A spokesperson for the Ottawa Police Service acknowledged the backlog of cases, affirming that they are working to address them. “We understand that these incidents can be distressing for all involved, and we thank them for their patience,” the spokesperson stated.