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An 18-year-old Florey man on bail for similar alleged offending will face court today after he was charged again in relation to alleged thefts of goods being sold via online platforms.
In May (2025) ACT Policing received two reports of Apple MacBooks that were offered for sale via Facebook Marketplace where the buyer used fake cash transfer receipts to secure the items. In both cases the sales were made face-to-face, however the seller was allegedly shown screenshots on the buyers phone as evidence of payment with no payments actually received by the sellers.
In both cases the buyer was using the same Facebook profile when seeking to buy the computers.
In a third matter in early June (2025), the Facebook profile was again used to purchase a MacBook computer however a different man attended the sale. Police will allege that again, a screenshot of a fake bank transfer was used to ‘purchase’ the computer.
On Thursday evening (26 June 2025) a woman attended Belconnen Police Station to report the theft of a Ricoh camera with the circumstances the same as the previously reported thefts of MacBook computers in May and June.
Yesterday (Friday, 27 June 2025) two men attended a secondhand goods store in Phillip where they allegedly offered a Ricoh camera for sale. Officers attached to the Proactive Policing Team attended and subsequently arrested an 18-year-old Florey man.
In late May, the man faced the ACT Magistrates Court charged with similar offences and received bail including a condition not to use any digital marketplace, such as Facebook Marketplace.
He was subsequently charged yesterday with two counts of obtain property by deception, joint commission obtain property by deception, possession of stolen property and breach of bail.
ACT Policing continues to remind the community about safely selling goods via online platforms.
Anyone who has information about the theft of goods via online selling platforms is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website. Information can be provided anonymously.