Police have identified the man suspected in a slew of recent frauds targeting Metro Vancouver seniors as a 52-year-old man from Chilliwack.
Authorities said Donald Robert Quinnell is suspected in at least nine incidents in North Vancouver alone, along with others in Vancouver and West Vancouver.
According to police, the victims are being approached by a "well dressed, well mannered" man in his 40s or 50s who will sometimes offer to help them carry groceries. In other cases, he will pretend to be locked out of his car and ask the seniors for help.
"Sometimes he plays the victim and other times the saviour," Sgt. Peter Devries of North Vancouver RCMP said in a news release.
"He convinces his victims to either give or receive kindness, which seems a very lovely thing. But then he uses their goodness as a distraction so he can steal their belongings. He gains trust so that he can betray it. It’s manipulative and deplorable."
Victims are also sometimes targeted outside their own homes. Police said the suspect will win their trust, weasel his way into their vehicle or residence, and then quietly snatch their valuables, including wallets and purses.
So far, he has not posed any threat of physical violence to any of his victims, the RCMP said.
Numerous incidents have been reported since mid-July in Vancouver, North Vancouver and West Vancouver, and authorities said they expect to secure charges against a suspect in all three jurisdictions soon – though the alleged fraudster has yet to be arrested.
On Thursday, the RCMP released the suspect name and picture and asked anyone who sees him to call 911 immediately.
Quinnell, 52, is described as a 6'1" tall white man who weighs 190 lbs. and has brown eyes and short, brown hair. He has a light to medium complexion, and may be wearing glasses and a ball cap.
Until a suspect is arrested, authorities urged seniors to be vigilant and wary of suspicious strangers.
"It makes us angry that we have to tell the public they need to think twice before giving or accepting kindness from strangers," said Sgt. DeVries.
"That’s not the kind of society we’re all trying to cultivate. Police are calling on the rest of the community to be vigilant as well … and keeping a close eye on the elderly in our community."
