Three charged in cross-country gym locker-room credit card thefts
Edmonton police arrest suspects linked to 18 thefts at fitness facilities across three provinces, with losses exceeding $25,000 in the city alone.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Edmonton police have charged three people in connection with a coordinated credit card theft ring that targeted gym locker rooms across Canada.
Livia Cozma, 41, Orlando-Constantin Vaduva, 52, and Bogdan Todica, 40, were arrested in Winnipeg in April and now face a combined 59 charges. The allegations include multiple counts of theft of credit card, fraud under $5,000, and theft under $5,000.
Investigators allege two suspects carried out break-ins at fitness facilities while a third person used the stolen cards to make fraudulent purchases. The scheme targeted gyms in Edmonton, Manitoba, and Ontario, with 18 thefts documented across the three provinces.
In Edmonton alone, the fraudulent purchases totaled more than $25,000. Police began investigating in March after a report from a northeast Edmonton facility.
The arrests were the result of coordination between Edmonton Police Service, Halton Regional Police, Winnipeg Police, and Canada Border Services Agency. The charges have not been tested in court.