A child claiming to have lost a ball allegedly distracted a Markham resident, allowing a man to sneak into the home and steal cash, York Regional Police(YRP) said.
The incident, which police described as a distraction-style break and enter, occurred on Wednesday at noon in the area of 16th Avenue and Rodick Road, east of Woodbine Avenue.
Police said a boy between 10 and 12 years old knocked on the door of a house and informed the resident that he had kicked a ball over the fence and needed help accessing the backyard to get it back.
The resident escorted the boy into the yard to look for the ball, but police said it wasn’t found. The boy subsequently left.
Police said as the resident returned to the front of the house, they saw a man leaving.
Investigators later found that the man arrived in the neighbourhood in a black 2020 Honda Civic with a faded licence plate.
He allegedly emerged from a hiding spot and crept into the home through the unlocked front door at the same time as the resident was walking the child into the yard.
“The suspect went through some rooms, stole cash from a purse and then exited the front door,” YPR allege.
On Thursday, police released a photo of the suspect, who is described as a five-foot-six white man in his 30s with scruffy facial hair. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie, a black ball cap, and black track pants with a stripe down the side.
The second suspect is described as a white boy,four-foot-eight, with a medium build, who spoke with an English accent. He was last seen wearing a black jacket and black pants with a white stripe on the side.
Police said a similar incident occurred on Dec. 6 near McCowan Road and Raymerville Drive, just south of 16th Avenue.
In this instance, a boy and girl allegedly told the resident of a home they lost a ball in the backyard.
“The complainant felt it was suspicious and refused to cooperate. The children left, and no ball was found,” they said.
While no theft took place, investigators are trying to determine if there is a link between the two incidents.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7541, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.1800222tips.com.
