Kristi Maree Pearce from Port Macquarie allegedly siphoned cash from Hi Spec builders: court

A Mid-North Coast woman allegedly siphoned money from a company she worked for and used phoney Bunnings and Office Works accounts to buy an array of items including herbicide, tools and a phone.

It is alleged Port Macquarie woman Kristi Maree Pearce siphoned $116,807.86 from a building company she was working for at the time. Picture: NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

A Port Macquarie woman allegedly siphoned money from a building company she worked for and created phoney Bunnings and Office Works accounts - buying everything from tools and chairs to a mobile phone and headphones.

Kristi Maree Pearce was employed by the Mid-North Coast building and construction firm Hi-Spec at the time of the alleged offending, according to court documents.

Pearce faces one charge of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception relating to alleged activity between November 2022 and April 2023.

Two more charges of dishonestly obtaining property by deception have also been levelled at the 33-year-old.

Kristi Maree Pearce outside the court on Wednesday.

She is yet to enter any pleas and remains on bail as the case continues.

It is alleged Pearce siphoned $116,807.86 from the company into seven separate personal accounts in what court documents described as supposed large batch payments to clients.

She slightly altered names to disguise transactions, police allege.

Kristi Maree Pearce leaves Port Macquarie court on Wednesday, July 17.

The two charges of obtaining property by deception relate to the alleged creation of bogus accounts under the Hi-Spec name at Bunnings and Office Works.

The list of items she allegedly took from Bunnings runs on to a second page in court documents. Purchases allegedly included cleaning products, chairs, herbicide and storage units.

Pearce allegedly obtained several products from Bunnings by deception.

Several tools ranging from paint brushes to an air compressor, as well as a toolbox, were also allegedly obtained between April 1 and May 31 last year.

Police also accuse Pearce of similar offending at Office Works, where she allegedly made an account under the same company name.

It’s alleged Pearcebought items including a keyboard, mobile phone, headphones and a keyboard over a week in April last year.

A warrant was issued for her arrest and she was apprehended in June this year.

Pearace has been on bail and conditions have included a 7pm-7am curfew, the court documents state.

The case is due to return to Port Macquarie court on July 31.

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