Victim receives gift from luxury fashion company

Peel Regional Police continue to hunt the thieves who stole from a Georgetown mother and daughter as the two were leaving Square One this holiday season.

In the meantime, American luxury fashion giant Michael Kors sent 45-year-old Angelique Abadeen a timepiece after reading a Mississauga News story that the thieves took one of the company’s extravagant watches from the Georgetown woman.

Abadeen received the timepiece this past weekend and was appreciative, but added she felt it was more important to go public and “help people be more aware” of these types of incidents.

The Georgetown mom took her only child on a day trip to Square One back on Dec. 5, where the young girl took pictures with Santa Claus and got her ears pierced for the first time while mom splurged on some early holiday shopping.

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At around 9:30 p.m. though, as Abadeen and her daughter were leaving the popular mall, Abadeen was robbed by a gang of distraction thieves, one of who befriended the licenced paralegal while two others approached her Toyota Rav 4, opened the passenger-side door and snatched her purse along with a few shopping bags.

“I just don’t know who to trust anymore,” Abadeen said in a recent interview with The News, agreeing to go public to prevent other similar crimes. “It was such a lonely, scary feeling.”

Included in Abadeen’s $500 Coach purse were $200 cash, a Michael Kors watch and high-end sunglasses. The bags the thieves fled with contained clothing and the precious photos Abadeen’s daughter with Santa Claus. Square One staff have offered to re-do the Santa photos free of charge.

Abadeen said she believes one of the thieves approached and moved her daughter’s stroller, which was close to the back of her vehicle, as she was putting the young girl in her car seat. The female suspect then waited until Abadeen was searching for her stroller and offered to help her find it. Moments later, Abadeen noticed a man approach the vehicle out of the corner of her eye. He opened Abadeen’s car door, grabbed the purse and shopping bags and fled.

“I saw it happening and started screaming,” she said. “It gives me chills to think this is going to happen to someone else. They could have just driven off with my daughter.”

Square One spokesperson David Wills said mall staff and security are aware of the incident and are cooperating with Peel Regional Police. “… like all citizens, (we), are disappointed when we hear about criminals taking advantage of people,” he said. “The safety and security of our customers is the top priority of Square One … Square One implements enhanced measures during busy shopping periods like this in order to ensure the safety of our customers.”‎

Peel Regional Police have reviewed security footage but have yet to make an arrest.

Police say distraction thefts are all too common in Mississauga and Brampton. Often, the thefts happen in busy shopping malls or plaza parking lots. Sometimes, the victims are asked directions to a hospital, while other times, such as the case with Aberdeen, they are offering help in a vulnerable situation.

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