The thief approached the 78‑year‑old on an evening walk, bent and touched her feet, then hugged her—an odd, almost ritualistic move that disoriented the woman before the suspect slipped a fake necklace over her neck. The real 110‑gram gold piece and a pair of bangles vanished in seconds, leaving the woman in shock and a stunned son who arrived as her mother tried to reconcile the loss.
Raghavendra Kumar, who does not speak English, told CTV News that his mother, a widow whose father gave her the jewelry in 1971, could not speak for 30 minutes after the theft. She was shivering, struggling to walk, and has since stopped her nightly strolls—an everyday routine now a source of dread.
Peel Police announced that footage from a July 28 incident in Brampton bears a striking resemblance to a second robbery that same day, suggesting a pattern. The department has not yet linked the two cases but is investigating whether the same suspect or crew is responsible.
The mother’s heirloom was more than a monetary prize; it was a tangible link to her late husband. Police expect to release additional surveillance soon and will likely question residents who saw a suspicious SUV leaving the area. Meanwhile, the family is awaiting a formal police report that could lead to an arrest.