In what seems like a regular occurrence at the moment, an elderly gentleman has lost $140,000 in an e-mail scam.
Police report that on 2 March 2026 an elderly man from Bayview received an e-mail about a suspicious transaction detected by his bank. The e-mail appeared genuine, and the victim contacted the sender, who convinced him to reveal personal banking details.
The unknown offender reportedly tricked the victim into authorising bank transfers on his mobile phone, stealing over $140,000 from the victim’s account.
The victim reported the scam to his bank, and the police are now investigating; however, the police have told Manly Observer they’re not confident the bank will reimburse the stolen funds.
Police said unsolicited emails and text messages about bank transactions continue to pose a threat to people and their money. They recommend that cold contacts be treated with the greatest caution. Personal identification numbers and banking codes should never be revealed to unverified entities.
Northern Beaches teen charged for riding in a stolen car and fraud offences
At about 1:30am on Monday, 9 March 2026, two cars, a Hyundai i35 and a Nissan X-Trail, were stolen from a home in Allambie Heights.
At about 9:30pm that same night, police saw the Nissan while patrolling and signalled it to stop. The Nissan sped off and engaged the police in a pursuit. The car was abandoned soon after at Partaka Street, Cromer and no arrests were made.
Northern Beaches Detectives commenced an investigation and identified a 14-year-old boy who police will allege was one of several people inside the stolen Nissan. Police will also allege that the teen fraudulently used credit cards that were inside the Nissan.
On Wednesday, 25 March 2026, police arrested the 14-year-old boy at his home and took him to Manly Police Station where he was charged with one count of ‘Be carried in conveyance taken w/o consent of owner’, eight counts of ‘Dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception’, and two counts of ‘Shoplifting’.
The teenager is on conditional bail to appear at Surry Hills Children’s Court in May 2026.
Inquiries are ongoing, and anyone with information about this matter is urged to contact Dee Why Police (9971 3399) or Crime Stoppers (1800 333 000).
Defibrillator stolen from Dee Why B-Line bus stop
Between 9 February 2026 and 20 March 2026, police report that an unknown person stole a defibrillator from a stand at the B-Line bus stop on Pittwater Road near Saint David Street in Dee Why.
Northern Beaches Council installed the life-saving device, which uses electricity to restart the heart or shock it back into its correct rhythm. Defibrillators are installed in high pedestrian traffic locations and are available to the community for medical emergencies.
A GPS tracker on the defibrillator showed it was at Raglan Street in Manly. However, when the police searched the vicinity of the GPS location, they could not find it. Police have warned that the device is not for personal use and should anyone have any information about the theft, to contact Dee Why Police (9971 3399) or Crime Stoppers (1800 333 000).
Catch up on the latest news:
Family safe but home destroyed by fire in Frenchs Forest; dog missing
