‘Low-life’ allegedly defrauded elderly Oak Flats woman Gladys Edwards of $5K
A man accused of defrauding a vulnerable elderly woman has claimed he had terminal liver cancer in court.
Illawarra Star
Don't miss out on the headlines from Illawarra Star. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Man denies alleged racial tirade, says he was the one ‘under attack’
- One dead as car crashes into power pole, catches fire
An 83-year-old woman who was allegedly defrauded by a man she described as a “low life” says she’s “still shaken” after he stole her purse, a court has heard.
Thirty-year-old Darren Warrilow was arrested and charged overnight, accused of defrauding Oak Flats woman Gladys Edwards.
Police allege Warrilow gained access to Mrs Edwards’ home by pretending to be a solar panel salesman, and after stealing her handbag used her credit card to withdraw $5000 cash from various ATMs.
Warrilow faced Wollongong Local Court on Friday, where he claimed he was suffering from terminal liver cancer, and entered into an application for bail. The 30-year-old erupted when Magistrate Mark Douglass refused his release, saying the decision was a “death sentence”.
In documents tendered to the court, police allege Gladys Edwards was at her Oak Flats home on February 9, when a man came to her home saying he was “from the government” and that she needed her solar panels cleaned.
Police say the two got talking about the installation of new solar panels, and Mrs Edwards invited Warrilow inside her home.
In the documents, police allege she moved into another room and called her grandson about the new panels, while Warrilow picked up her handbag and ran from the house.
Later that afternoon, Mrs Edwards allegedly received a call from what she believed was the Commonwealth Bank, telling her that her account had been compromised.
The caller allegedly told her she needed to recite her PIN number to ensure she was the account holder. Mrs Edwards agreed, believing it was the bank.
Police allege in the documents Warrilow was the caller, and that he then used her card to withdraw a total of $5000 from three different ATM machines around the Illawarra.
Police obtained CCTV footage from the ATMs, which allegedly showed Warrilow, with a cap and shirt partially covering his face, withdrawing the cash. CCTV also captured Warrilow allegedly leaving the machines in a silver Ford Territory.
The matter was reported to the police on February 11, and an investigation commenced.
On Thursday evening, police noticed the same Ford Territory depicted in the CCTV driving down the M1 at Gwynneville. In court documents, police allege they stopped the vehicle, and found Warrilow and another man inside the car.
Both were placed under arrest and taken to Wollongong Police Station.
Warrilow, who police allege denied any knowledge of attending the ATMs, was charged with three counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception, three counts of face disguised with intent to commit indictable offence and one count of aggravated break and enter.
In court on Friday, Warrilow denied the allegations, with his lawyer telling the court his client was a heavy drinker and often drank until he “couldn’t remember”.
Magistrate Douglass denied the application, and adjourned the case until next month.
Outside court, Mrs Edwards said he whoever defrauded her was a “total low life”.
“To do a thing like that, it’s really bad, he’s preying on people,” she said. “People that trust, you can’t do that to us.”