According to a NSW Police Force statement, four men – aged 23, 30, 43 and 53 – were charged with shoplifting, larceny and making a false statement to an officer, purpose of Migration Act. The men are believed to be from Chile.
It was alleged the charges involved the theft of jewellery valued at more than $500,000.
In addition, a 34-year-old man was charged with two counts of theft and making a false statement to an officer as per the Migration Act.
A 39-year-old male was also charged with making a false statement to an officer, purpose of Migration Act.
Past charges
The latest charges against the four men from Chile come after they were arrested in September.
As previously reported by Jeweller, they allegedly entered Australia on tourist or student visas and “wore disguises and distracted victims while other syndicate members stole their property”.
The police statement added that a strike force division was investigating more than 18 incidents mainly targeting jewellery ‘dealers’ and members of the public making withdrawals at financial institutions in August and September this year.
It is believed that one incident took place during the Sydney International Jewellery Fair and involved the attempted theft of Thomas Sabo jewellery valued at $10,000.
Plea update
A NSW Department of Justice spokesperson told Jeweller in September that the four men pled not guilty; however, a report by The Australian stated that three of the four have changed their plea to guilty.
The fourth was said to maintain his innocence.
Jeweller contacted the NSW Department of Justice regarding the pleas but had not received a response at the time of publication.
All six men appeared at Sydney Central Local Court on 5 October and were refused bail. They will re-appear at court in November.
The NSW police statement added that investigations were ongoing and that further arrests in relation to the alleged crime syndicate were expected.
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