VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A man has been charged in a string of distraction thefts from unsuspecting victims who are just going about their daily lives in Vancouver.

The victims are often elderly or of visible minority groups.

Vancouver Police believe the 21-year-old is just one person involved in a suspected crime ring operating across the city — and potentially across the country.

Sergeant Randy Fincham says four people were arrested at YVR earlier this week.

“After a fairly lengthy investigation and a number of tips that came in from the public, we were able to identify four men that we believe were responsible for the distraction thefts,” he says. “On December 2nd, all four men were taken into custody as they attempted to board a flight out of Vancouver, flying to eastern Canada.”

Spaniol Alexandru has been charged with one count of theft under $5,000 but the other three were released.

Fincham says they could be charged, too, but more witnesses need to come forward with information in the case.

In the last two weeks, crooks have used sleight-of-hand techniques to swipe expensive, usually gold, jewels off nine victims and then leave behind worthless trinkets.

Police say these types of thefts have been happening for a couple of years now, and losses total upwards of $150,000.