Lost Cash Returned to Senior

Jorgina Faria and her family are thanking the Good Samaritan who did just that with her lost money.

Eight days prior to Christmas, the 75-year-old married mother of four, was out shopping in Kensington Market when she realized at the cash register she did not have money to pay for the goods she was trying to buy in preparation for the holiday season.

Her purse containing $200, Ontario Health Insurance card, personal documents and photos of her eight grandchildren was missing.

Grace Branco, her daughter, filed a report over via the Toronto Police Citizen Online Report Entry webpage about the lost belongings a few days later.

“I read hundreds of occurrence reports daily,” said Sgt. Jessica McInnis, who is the Quality Control Officer at 14 Division. “I remember seeing that report and then about 300 occurrences later, I saw that someone had turned in $200 to 52 Division. I paired the two and was able to figure out it was the same money that the woman had lost while shopping.”

On Jan. 10, McInnis handed over the money to Faria at her home.

“She’s confused and still does not believe it’s her money,” said her son Joe, who interpreted for his mother, who only speaks Portuguese. “She however understands there is a Good Samaritan out there and would like to meet that person.”

The individual, who turned over the money, is a young woman from York Region who wants to remain anonymous.

Though reunited with part of her property, Faria hopes her wallet is found with the pictures and personal documents.

“I am waiting for that call from you,” she told McInnis, of the most prized possession in her purse – pictures of her grandchildren despite being assured by her children they would be replaced. “Those pictures mean a lot to me.”

Const. Gordon Reid, the 14 Division Crime Prevention and Community Relations Officer, accompanied McInnis to the Faria’s residence.

“You don’t hear about these things happening too often,” he said. “My faith in humanity is still intact.”