Man’s shock gesture after arrest over alleged $150k elderly shopper scam
An alleged fraudster accused of stealing more than $150,000 from elderly people at Sydney shopping malls has been extradited from Western Australia to face trial in NSW courts.
Police began investigating reports of fraud in NSW in March between February 11 and March 26.
Investigators received reports of 39 incidents of a multi-person scam allegedly targeting older people, particularly women, in shopping centres, from the South Coast to Grafton and several Sydney suburbs.
A member of a group allegedly approached an elderly person and told him that he had dropped his wallet or money.
When the elderly person opened his wallet to check, a second person allegedly stole his bank card.
The cards were then used to make fraudulent transactions totaling more than $150,000.
A 38-year-old man was arrested at Perth Airport on Wednesday over alleged fraud.
Arrest footage showed the man mockingly clapping and giving a thumbs up as he was led away in handcuffs.
The man was extradited from WA to NSW after investigators successfully appealed to the court for a ruling.
On arrival at Mascot Police Station in Sydney, he was charged with 18 offences, including nine counts of obtaining financial advantage by fraud, six counts of theft from a person valued at less than or equal to $2000, two counts of theft, theft from a person of more than $2000 and less than or equal to $5000.
The man was due to appear in the local Bail Division court on Saturday.
