Vancouver police seek Tesla driver who may have recorded distraction theft

Police shared surveillance video of a Tesla seen driving on Lillooet Street around the time of the theft. (VPD)

Vancouver police are looking for the owner of a grey Tesla as they work to reunite a senior with a gold necklace that was taken from her in a distraction theft last month.

The distraction theft occurred on June 23 in the 500 block of Lillooet Street in East Vancouver, according to the Vancouver Police Department.

The 73-year-old victim was walking with her husband shortly after 1 p.m. that day when the couple was approached by a woman who asked for a restaurant recommendation.

The woman then placed a fake gold necklace around the victim’s neck, “seamlessly removing her real gold necklace in the process,” the VPD said in a statement shortly after the incident.

In an update Thursday, the VPD shared a photo of the stolen necklace and surveillance video of a grey Tesla that was recorded driving through the area around the time of the incident.

Investigators believe the vehicle may have recorded video that could help the case, and that its driver may have even witnessed the theft, police said.

They’re asking the Tesla owner and anyone else with information about the incident to call investigators at 604-717-3321.

“Unfortunately, we’ve seen a number of cases like this in recent months in which elderly people are targeted, and their precious family heirlooms stolen,” said Const. Megan Lui, in the Thursday statement.

“These are vulnerable victims just out and about living their lives. We want to be able to retrieve this jewelry and return it to its rightful owner.”