by Robert Washburn
A Port Hope woman lost seven thousand dollars from her bank account on Saturday after her debit card was stolen at the Your Independent Grocer on Jocelyn Street. The woman was approached in the parking lot by a man waiving a twenty-dollar bill. He told her she dropped it. The woman opened her purse to check and said it did not belong to her.
Later, she discovered her debit card was missing. When she checked her bank account, several cash transfers had taken place. Police believe the man took the debit card when the woman opened her purse as part of a ruse. Police think he obtained her PIN number by watching her when she was checking out in the store.
The man is described as having darker skin and a strong accent. Police are checking the store’s security video in the hopes of identifying a suspect.
Police advise people to be aware of anyone around them when entering their PIN number and should cover the key pad when entering the number.
The woman’s bank is replacing the stolen money, police said.
