Individual Essay

CAPRA Model Applied to the Newspaper Article

(Calgary police arrest 2 of 3 suspects in distraction theft spree)

By: Fares AL Mukadm

Student Number: 0815489

JUS-202 Conflict Management

Date: Mar 28 ,2023
 CAPRA model is a designed learning tool that increases the

comprehension of the RCMP Community Policing Problem Solving Model. The CAPRA model

addresses the following discussion points which are the Clients, Acquire/Analyse Information,

Partnerships, Response and Assessment of Action taken and as well as what each letter stands

for. Each discussion point answers a couple of questions that help with problem solving. The

CAPRA model applies to the following newspaper article, Calgary police arrest 2 of 3 suspects

in distraction theft spree. Distraction theft is an anti-social behaviour causing a negative impact

in the community. A group of three suspects commit a series of distraction thefts total of

$100,000 were claimed to the police. The incidents were captured by CCTV footage observe one

person monitoring a debit or credit card holder while entering their debt or credit card pins at the

cashier in a major retail store. Then, the other two suspects come forward to distract the victims

and take an advantage of the opportunity to steal his credit or debit cards. Besides, the suspects

have used the cards to withdrawals cash from the stolen cards. Overall, distraction theft is

defined as creating the opportunity to steal the victim wallet, purse, and debit or credit cards.

Furthermore, the Clients point of view divides into direct and indirect

clients. Direct clients are people that we come in direct contact with frequently in problem-

solving cases and include individual citizens such as suspects, victims, witnesses, concerned

citizens. Indirect clients are whom you not on condition come into direct contact with, however

they get affected by the results of your actions. According to the newspaper article, the direct

clients are the three suspects, two of three suspects are Florian Paun 42, Ion Tirna 55 and the 3 rd

suspect is missing who is Petrisor Adrian Marior 24, a major retail chain store and the victims
whom the debit and credit card holders. Indirect clients, the banks institutions, and the victim

families who may need money. The problem is the people exposure to theft distractions by

observing them while entering their debit or credit cards pins for the suspects to use to

withdrawal cash money from the ATM machines. Which may affect the sales of the major retail

store because people may no longer trust the people whom they are surrounded with so they can

spend their money safely. Some additional information is needed that can possibly gathered by

interviewing the victims and observing the situation. Additional information could be when the

incidents took place which is in the first two months of the 2023 year, from late January to early

February.

In addition, partnership is the third of the CAPRA model. Partners are

individuals or groups who can advise you to solve the problem with the best way possible.

Partnership is based on mutual trust whom they might be external or internal to the RCMP. Some

partners in the work situation could be colleagues, experts, witnesses, and community groups.

Efficiency must be accomplished to affirm partnerships such as integrity, leadership, client

orientation and effective communication etc. In this case, the CCTV footage was used to

identify the suspects and how the crime has happened with details. The victims have reported

about the cash withdrawal from their cards. After arresting two of the suspects, Paun and Trina,

the police found a stolen credit cards belonging to a victim who hadn’t reported a file to the

police so any victim of the theft distraction is encouraged to file a report to the police so their

rights can be restore whom was scammed between late January to early February. Although the

third suspect is still missing, the CPS is demanding local help to find Petrisor Adrian Marior 24,
who is related to the incidents to be send to court like his partners. Any citizen with information’s

about the accused whose characteristics mentioned in the newspaper is encouraged to call the

CPS non-emergency line. Therefore, the above partnerships are the CCTV footage, the victims,

CPS, the police, and the citizens (local help).

Moreover, when completing your full view of the above CAPRA model as

follows, the clients (direct and indirect), analyse information and partnerships. The best option

defined as a response must be selected with the cooperation of your partners to satisfy the clients

needs. Some of the possible solutions could be to distribute the accused photo on television and

public facilities so the citizens can identify him and inform the police. Also, educating the

citizens about theft distractions could eliminate the cases and for the citizens to be caution when

using their credit cards while purchasing at any store. Ensuring that CCTV footage are monitored

and operated well in any retail chain store. To assess the taken action, the arrested suspects will

appear in court by March 20 and March 27. Cooperating with your partners to make sure of the

decrease of the theft distraction crimes. Ensure the police has arrested the third suspect and he

will appear in court as well. Seniors are the majority victims of theft distractions. In an interview

with a senior lady who was a victim of theft distraction, she believed that the suspect has stolen

her debit and credit cards from her open purse while he was offering her help to carry her bags to

her car trunk because of the ice on the parking lot so she doesn’t slip. Two days later, she found

out that she has been defrauded it of more than 21,000 dollars. She is no longer can offer her dog

a haircut for a while. Offenders should not exploit the needs of others by defrauding them. As

well as people should be educated of not trusting strangers who may offer them help on public

while purchasing from any store.

 In conclusion, the CAPRA model was applied to the above case mentioned

in the newspaper article. Theft distraction is an anti-social behaviour because it reduces the trust

of others in each other within the community. The inability of people to fulfill their financial

obligations and their disability to provide financial balance because their money was withdrawal

from their bank accounts by the stolen debit or and credit cards. Robbery is considered an

immoral act and not acceptable in the society. It may be that the victims whom their money was

stolen are in dire need of their money. Providing job opportunities for community members may

significantly reduce thefts. To fully establish the full comprehension of the case by applying the

CAPRA model, the following points must be fully answered: define are the clients whether direct

or indirect, define the problems/issues, add any additional information, define the option(s) to

solve the problem, define the partners whom you can work with and define your selected

option(s). Arresting the third suspect above and sending him to court with his partners should

teach whoever will break the law and defraud people to steal people’s money will be punished so

that they will not repeat such an act.

Fig1. CAPRA problem solving model.

Fig2. Theft Distraction.

Citation

Capra Problem Solving Model Booklet - ASU Center for Problem-Oriented ...
https://popcenter.asu.edu/sites/default/files/library/unpublished/ProblemAnalysisTools/
164_CAPRA_Problem_Solving_Model_Booklet.pdf.

Toy, Adam. “Calgary Police Arrest 2 of 3 Suspects in Distraction Theft Spree - Calgary.” Global
News, Global News, 17 Mar. 2023, https://globalnews.ca/news/9560042/calgary-police-
arrest-suspects-distraction-theft-spree/