A string of locker-room thefts at Edmonton gyms has ended in arrests, with the suspects ultimately picked up in Winnipeg. Police say the case grew from individual thefts at a single gym into a wider fraud investigation spanning multiple locations. The result is a set of charges against three people accused of targeting fitness facilities.
According to police, the trouble began in March. A number of victims had their credit cards stolen from lockers at a gym in northeast Edmonton. Those thefts gave investigators their first thread to pull on as they began looking into who was responsible.
Detectives were able to connect the stolen cards and the resulting fraud to a group of suspects. What started as a handful of complaints at one location was tied back to the same people, allowing police to build a broader picture of the activity.
The scale of the case became clear as the investigation widened. Police say the three suspects were linked to 18 separate gym break-ins across Edmonton. In total, the scheme involved more than $25,000 worth of credit card fraud.
The investigation eventually led police to make arrests. Two men and a woman were taken into custody and now face a combined 59 charges in connection with the thefts and fraud. The arrests were made after the suspects were located in Winnipeg.
The case may not be limited to Alberta and Manitoba. Police say the three are also wanted for similar crimes in Ontario and Manitoba, suggesting the alleged activity extended well beyond the Edmonton gyms where it first came to light.