Police raid Anna Bay property and arrest 51-year-old over alleged Sydney holiday rental scam

Police have swooped on a property in Port Stephens and arrested a 51-year-old man over what they allege is a large-scale holiday rental scam on Sydney’s northern beaches, netting upwards of $500k and impacting 31 victims.

Police have swooped on a property in Port Stephens and arrested a man over what they allege is a large-scale holiday rental scam on Sydney’s northern beaches.

The alleged fraud netted upwards of $500,000 from a total of 31 victims.

After close to a month-long investigation by Northern Beaches Police officers swooped on a property in the sleepy Port Stephens town of Anna Bay on Thursday.

Officers raided the Argyle Ave residence and arrested a 51-year-old man.

Northern Beaches Police set up Strike Force Woodarra last month to investigate a “significant number of fraud reports” related to the letting of holiday rentals between Manly and Palm Beach.

Man arrested in Anna Bay, Port Stephens, over an alleged holiday rental scam involving 31 alleged victims and around $500,000. Credit: NSW Police

Police investigated allegations that people booking holiday or weekend accommodation turned up to houses and apartments, only to find they were permanently occupied by residents with no knowledge their homes were advertised as short term rentals.

Others allegedly had bookings cancelled at the last minute after paying holding deposits.

Property owners allege the man had collected holiday rents on their behalf, but then failed to hand over the cash.

One landlord alleged he was left $30,000 out of pocket.

The man was charged after strike force detectives searched the house at Anna Bay.

He was taken to Nelson Bay Police Station where he was charged with 31 counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception and one count of contravening an AVO.

The man was granted conditional bail to appear at Manly Local Court next month.