Three suspects in multiple frauds on Baseline Road sought by Ottawa police

Police are asking the public for help in identifying three suspects involved in an alleged theft and multiple fraud incidents that happened last month in Ottawa’s west end. (Ottawa Police Service/ X)

The Ottawa Police Service is asking the public for help in identifying three suspects involved in an alleged theft and multiple fraud incidents that happened last month in the city's west end.

The alleged frauds happened in the 1900 block of Baseline Road, which is located near College Square.

Police say around 2:40 p.m. on Sept. 11, one of the suspects distracted a victim by offering help while another stole their credit card. The three suspects then used the stolen credit card to make multiple purchases.

The first suspect is described by police as a light-skinned man, around 40 years old, 5'10", with a short dark beard. At the time, he was wearing a black t-shirt, jean jacket and black baseball cap.

Suspect number two is described as a light-skinned woman, in her 40's, approximately 5'4", with long dark hair and a tattoo on her right forearm. At the time, she was wearing a white shirt, green pants, white shoes and sunglasses.

Police say the third suspect is described as a woman "possibly East Indian," with long black hair. At the time, she was seen wearing a long blue and white dress with a long-sleeve white shirt over top and black shoes. She was also seen carrying a white purse.

A police spokesperson says the investigation is related to a CTV News Ottawa story last week about a senior who was the victim of a theft in a parking lot at College Square.

Madeleine Gervais was a victim of a distraction theft in Ottawa's west end in the Loblaws parking lot, when she was approached by a man and a woman who insisted on helping her load her groceries into her car on Sept. 11, she told CTV News Ottawa's Austin Lee.

One of them stood in front of her, helping to load the vehicle, while the second person stood behind her, covertly fishing through her backpack, swiping 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," said Gervais

The next day, Gervais says she went online to check her accounts and noticed a long list of fraudulent transactions on her credit cards. In total, she was out nearly $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. There was also money taken from my credit card too," she said.

"All of my personal information was in my wallet. My social insurance number, my health card, my driver’s license, and other cards."

Gervais is in the process of being reimbursed by her bank and the credit card company, but she also lost a significant amount of cash and still wants to see the suspects held responsible.

Anyone with information about these suspects are asked to call police at 613-236-1222 extension 2296, or to leave a tip anonymously crimestoppers.ca.

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Austin Lee