Welcome back to Crime Watch Northern Beaches, a weekly wrap up of local crimes and incidents from the Northern Beaches Police Area Command. If you saw or can help with any of the below incidents, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or here. All calls are treated in the strictest confidence. You can also contact Dee Why Police Station 9971 3399.
Fraud
myGov ATO fraud, Fairlight, 22 October 2024
A Fairlight woman was expecting a tax return of $10,800 last week. Police suspect an offender hacked into her myGov account and inserted their own banking details. The ATO refunded the victim’s tax return to the offender’s account. Police and the ATO are investigating.
This is a timely reminder for the community to change their online passwords regularly and to help prevent fraud by using a mobile phone for two-factor-identification.
Facebook Marketplace fraud, Mona Vale and Balgowlah Heights, 22 October 2024
A Mona Vale man negotiated the purchase of a power tool on Facebook Marketplace and sent $600 to a NSW North Coast seller via direct deposit. The seller stopped communicating and the power tool did not arrive in the mail.
A Balgowlah Heights woman liked an outdoor setting on Facebook Marketplace and sent $50 for it via PayID to a man in Ashfield. This is a direct transfer of funds from a mobile phone. She soon realised that the man tried to sell it to another person and removed the post soon after. Luckily this was a modest loss.
The common denominator between the two cases is the buyers did not use an escrow account such as PayPal. This a general reminder that buyers have little protection when they pay for goods by direct transfer to a seller.
Arrests
Parking complaint led to the arrest of a man in a stolen car at Balgowlah, 16 October 2024
About 7am on 16 October 2024, police responded to a complaint about a 4WD Toyota Prado blocking a driveway at a Balgowlah home. Police arrived to find a 28 year old man asleep at the wheel. Police suspected he was under the influence of a drug and tried to wake him. Once the man realised he was surrounded by police he engaged in a violent struggle before being restrained and arrested. Police confirmed the Prado was stolen from Freshwater two days prior and it was fitted with QLD number plates stolen from another vehicle. Exhibits were seized from the car that are suspected of being prohibited drugs and they will be forensically analysed.
The local Frenchs Forest man was taken to Manly Police Station and charged with hinder or resist police officer in execution of duty, drive conveyance taken without consent of owner, possess housebreaking implements, licence expired within the last two years and use class-A vehicle displaying misleading number plate.
He was refused bail and on 24 October 2024 he appeared at the Manly Local Court where he pled guilty to all the offences. The man will remain in custody until sentenced on 5 December 2024.
Inquiries are continuing into further drug related charges.
Appeal for Information
Café broken into at North Curl Curl, 22 October 2024
About 4am on 22 October 2024, a man broke into the Split Café at North Curl Curl by manipulating a lock on the entry door. He was on his own and this was no smash and grab. The offender was in the store for 18 minutes and got away with a small sum of cash. The offender left the Pitt Street premises and was last seen walking toward Griffin Road. He was wearing dark shorts, a light coloured hoodie jumper and carried a backpack.
If anyone saw this man or has any information about the break-in they are encouraged to contact Dee Why Police or Crime Stoppers.
Seeking information about the location of wanted man, Rueben Bean, aged 32
Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man wanted on an outstanding arrest warrants. Reuben Bean, aged 32, is wanted on two outstanding warrants of assault and property damage – domestic violence offences. Northern Beaches Police are conducting inquiries into his whereabouts. He is known to frequent the Northern Beaches area.
Anyone with information into his whereabouts is urged not to approach but to call Triple Zero (000) immediately. Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000. Photos are of the man are posted on the Northern Beaches police facebook site.
