The disturbing truth behind a Sydney woman’s $150,000 jewellery loss—find out what happened
- Replies 1
A woman’s encounter with a stranger in Sydney quickly took a bizarre and unsettling turn, leading to a theft worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
What seemed like a chance meeting with a well-meaning figure spiralled into a shocking crime, leaving police to piece together a strange series of events.
The details of this unusual scam are raising eyebrows and leaving many with more questions than answers.
A man was charged after a woman reported the theft of $150,000 worth of jewellery in what authorities described as a prayer scam in Sydney.
The incident occurred on 9 January, when a 47-year-old woman was on her lunch break in Darling Harbour.
Police say the woman was approached by a man who introduced himself as a spiritual guide.
The man offered to bless the woman during their conversation.
Over the next few weeks, they met again, with the man allegedly asking her to provide jewellery for the blessing ritual.
During the ceremony, the man reportedly placed a weighted coconut onto the jewellery and replaced it with empty boxes and other items while their gazes were locked.
When the woman realised the jewellery was missing, she contacted the police.
Officers launched an investigation into the incident.
At 1:45 pm the following day, police arrested a 25-year-old man near Darling Harbour.
A search warrant was also executed at a hostel on Elizabeth Street in central Sydney, where jewellery thought to belong to the woman was discovered.
The man was charged with fraud-related offences and granted bail.
He was due to appear in court on 10 February.
In a previous story, we uncovered how a couple lost $40k in a devastating theft, only to be left stunned by their insurance company’s response.
To find out how this shocking incident unfolded, click here to read more.
What do you think of this unusual method of stealing? Have you ever heard of a scam like this before?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
What seemed like a chance meeting with a well-meaning figure spiralled into a shocking crime, leaving police to piece together a strange series of events.
The details of this unusual scam are raising eyebrows and leaving many with more questions than answers.
A man was charged after a woman reported the theft of $150,000 worth of jewellery in what authorities described as a prayer scam in Sydney.
The incident occurred on 9 January, when a 47-year-old woman was on her lunch break in Darling Harbour.
Police say the woman was approached by a man who introduced himself as a spiritual guide.
The man offered to bless the woman during their conversation.
Over the next few weeks, they met again, with the man allegedly asking her to provide jewellery for the blessing ritual.
During the ceremony, the man reportedly placed a weighted coconut onto the jewellery and replaced it with empty boxes and other items while their gazes were locked.
When the woman realised the jewellery was missing, she contacted the police.
Officers launched an investigation into the incident.
At 1:45 pm the following day, police arrested a 25-year-old man near Darling Harbour.
A search warrant was also executed at a hostel on Elizabeth Street in central Sydney, where jewellery thought to belong to the woman was discovered.
The man was charged with fraud-related offences and granted bail.
He was due to appear in court on 10 February.
In a previous story, we uncovered how a couple lost $40k in a devastating theft, only to be left stunned by their insurance company’s response.
To find out how this shocking incident unfolded, click here to read more.
What do you think of this unusual method of stealing? Have you ever heard of a scam like this before?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
.png){kind=icon}
