A Brock Township woman is accused of quietly draining a long-term-care resident’s bank account, with Durham Regional Police alleging tens of thousands of dollars disappeared while she was supposed to be looking after the resident’s payments. Investigators say Laura Doreen Croft, 53, used about $73,000 of the victim’s funds, withdrew more than $37,000 in cash and spent over $8,000 on herself. She was arrested without incident on Jan. 14 and later released on an undertaking.
Allegations and charges
The investigation started in August 2024, when staff at Lakeview Manor flagged more than $10,000 in unpaid fees and called in police. An OASIS probe found Croft had been handling the resident’s payments since 2016, according to investigators. Croft is now charged with unauthorized possession and use of credit-card data, theft by a person holding power of attorney, fraud over $5,000 and possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000, as reported by Durham Radio News.
Investigation and the OASIS unit
The case was handled by the Durham Regional Police Service’s Older Adult Support and Investigative Services (OASIS) unit, a specialized team created to investigate suspected elder abuse and financial exploitation, as described by Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario. Lakeview Manor - a 149-bed long-term care home in Beaverton operated by the Region of Durham - is where staff first raised concerns, according to the provincial long-term-care listing. The OASIS unit’s work on fraud and power-of-attorney cases has been highlighted in regional training materials and conference sessions.
How to report tips
Durham Regional Police are asking anyone with information about this case to contact D/Cst. Raposo of the OASIS unit at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5617, a contact included in the police update reported by Durham Radio News. Anonymous tips can be submitted to 1-800-222-TIPS, according to Durham Regional Crime Stoppers.
Protecting seniors and where to turn
If there is a concern that a power-of-attorney is being misused, Ontario’s Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee can investigate and offers guidance and forms for attorneys and caregivers (see Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee). For community legal information about elder financial abuse and possible next steps, resources are available from Community Legal Education Ontario.
