A postal worker allegedly stole 70 pieces of mail sent to residents of Sydney’s eastern suburbs, taking bank cards and supplying them to organised criminals who then used them in a $1.4 million fraud.
The 56-year-old postman allegedly targeted the affluent suburbs of Edgecliff, Woollahra and Double Bay. He was one of three men arrested over the alleged scheme.
During dawn raids on Wednesday, police seized more than $14,000 in cash, a dedicated encrypted criminal communication device, stolen bank cards and several luxury items, including a Rolex watch and Louis Vuitton bags.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Detective Acting Superintendent Con Galea said the alleged fraudsters had used the money for their own personal gain.
“We’ve talked about seizure of expensive items, clothing items, and electronic items. The money was also used for general day-to-day expenditure.”
Galea said the fraud first came to the police’s attention in mid-2024 when it was reported by financial institutions, adding that the total amount stolen was likely to be much larger than $1.4 million.
“We expect the value of $1.4 million to increase dramatically as we detect more offences through fraud and linking those individuals to that.”
The postman was arrested at a Rockdale address and taken to Kogarah Police Station, where he was charged over the theft of 70 pieces of mail, and 143 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage. He was also charged with participating in a criminal group.