Susan Beatson had returned to her backyard after she and a friend provided directions to a stranger outside of her home in Port Perry, Ont. Moments later, her friend came back, saying his gold necklace was gone. “I was mad. Bob was heartbroken because, of course, jewelry has sentimental value,” Beatson said in an interview with CTV News Toronto. It happened last Friday, at around 3:15 p.m. Beatson, 71, was tending to her lawn when a vehicle pulled up front and stopped in the middle of the road. There were two people inside of the car, she said, and a man in the passenger seat asked them for directions to the closest pharmacy. Her friend, Bob, 77, approached the vehicle and provided directions to Walmart. Standing out on the sidewalk, Beatson said she offered a route to the Pharmacy Associates of Port Perry. “Then, as a thank you, he gave us each a ring,” Beatson recounted. She described the ring as costume jewelry, as it was big with fake diamonds in a cross. Beatson took the ring in her gloved hand and went to her backyard to keep tending to her lawn. “He was thanking Bob for the directions and, at that point, I didn’t engage anymore,” Beatson said. According to Beatson, Bob continued speaking to the passenger, who identified himself as Ahmed, as the stranger wanted to bestow Bob with a gold necklace as thanks for the directions. But as soon as the car drove away, Beatson said her friend noticed his gold mariner chain was gone, replaced with a fake one. About 15 minutes later, Beatson said they then noticed his gold link bracelet was missing. The gold necklace was a present Beatson gave to Bob more than 20 years ago. It was custom-made with an intricate lighthouse pendant that had a diamond as the beacon, and an engraving in cursive lettering inscribed on the back. “There was only one ever made because the mould was discarded after it was made,” Beatson said, adding that she had a local jeweler create the necklace. She gave him this necklace as he has a passion for lighthouses, noting how he has listed and categorized every single one across Canada for the federal government. She couldn’t remember how much she paid for it then, but the appraisal of both stolen pieces indicated a sum of around $12,000. “I wish I had paid more attention, but someone that comes by and wants to give you stuff is suspicious,” Beatson said. “I wasn’t aware enough to stick around and say to Bob, ‘Get away from the car,’ or to notice the licence, the make of the car, any of that stuff, and I’m kicking myself still.” Rise in distraction thefts A spokesperson for Durham Regional Police confirmed they received a report on the afternoon of Aug. 22, in the area of McDonald Street and Old Simcoe Road. They didn’t provide further details as the investigation remains ongoing. “This is a very common distraction theft that has been widely reported across the region. We have put out numerous warnings, videos, and safety instructions on what to do if you encounter this type of scam,” Const. Nick Gluckstein wrote in an email to CTV News. Police could not provide definitive numbers on how many distraction thefts there have been in Durham Region so far, as Gluckstein says “there are a few files that may be unaccounted for or have not been reported.” As of Aug. 26, Durham police said there have been a total of 114 distraction-style thefts in the region this year. The highest number of reports was seen in the spring with 27 incidents in April and 28 in May. This is six reports away from the total amount seen in all of 2025. On behalf of her friend, who did not want to appear in media, Beatson said she wanted to raise awareness and warn other seniors about this style of theft. “You’re not rude when you don’t engage with someone who’s fishing for information, you’re protecting yourself and your property,” Beatson said. “Back away, don’t let them touch you, don’t get near them.” This advice falls in line with police’s guidance on what to do to protect yourself from distraction theft. Durham police urge the public to stay alert, be wary of speaking to strangers who unexpectedly approach you, decline hugs or handshakes, and walk away if something doesn’t feel right.
