Two Bradford men accused of distraction thefts across Ontario

An investigation into distraction thefts across Ontario has resulted in two individuals facing a total of 130 charges in relation to the thefts.

In the spring of 2025, the Ontario Province Police (OPP) Central Region Crime Unit identified a pattern of criminal activity that began in October 2024. The investigation, named Project Final, was led by the Nottawasaga Detachment Major Crime Unit and focused on multiple distraction thefts across Ontario.

The investigation revealed that the accused employed tactics such as “shoulder surfing” to observe victims entering their PINs at financial institutions. Once the PIN was obtained, the suspects would engage the victim in a verbal or physical distraction, during which the victim’s debit card was covertly swapped with a previously stolen card. Th