Missing Orange man Bobby Randall: Woman charged with fraud after allegedly skimming dead man’s savings

What began as a missing persons inquiry, then morphed into a fraud investigation, is now probing the details surrounding the death of a man who had succumbed in hospital six weeks before police and family were even told.

Orange man Robert "Bobby" Randall, who was first listed as a missing person before it was discovered he had died in hospital. Picture: Supplied

It began as a missing persons inquiry, morphed into a potential fraud investigation and is now probing the details surrounding the death of a man who had succumbed in hospital six weeks before police and family were even told.

Orange man Robert Ernest Randall, known as Bobby, was first reported to police as missing by concerned south coast relatives on October 1, after the 65-year-old had failed to make any contact with family members for almost two months.

The usual checks and balances were conducted by Central West police, including releasing a public statement that they had “commenced enquiries into his whereabouts” and believed he “may” be in either the Orange, Wellington or Dubbo areas.

They also began behind the scenes investigations, including into whether Mr Randall, who relatives say had lived in Orange his entire life, had used bank accounts or had any other digital or online presence after they time he had vanished.

Those investigations have led to the charging of an Orange woman with three fraud offences and the ultimate heartbreaking discovery that Mr Randall had died in hospital eight weeks ago.

Orange man Robert "Bobby" Randall.

Police put out a brief statement on Friday, alleging that a 46-year-old woman had used Mr Randall’s cards to access cash twice from an automatic teller machine not far from the dead man’s home in north Orange, the last time just a day before officers spoke to her.

When they arrived at a home on Blue Bell Rd, also in north Orange, to speak with the woman on Wednesday, she told officers Mr Randall had died in hospital on August 17.

Police spoke to a woman at a home on Blue Bell Way at Orange before arresting her on Wednesday. Picture: Google Maps

It is understood the woman, who lived near Mr Randall, but whose connection to him was not revealed, had taken the man to hospital the day before his death.

And when Mr Randall died of suspected natural causes, neither police nor his next of kin were notified by health authorities.

Police allege the woman then used Mr Randall’s card on September 24 – more than a month after he died – and again on Tuesday.

They will allege she withdrew several thousand dollars and have charged her with three counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.

She was bailed to appear in Orange Local Court on October 31.

The woman will face Orange Local Court later this month. Picture: Grant Jones

But as police were charging the woman with the fraud offences, and after they confirmed Mr Randall’s death, they began a search of the Blue Bell Rd property where they had already arrested the woman.

“Police established a crime scene, with inquiries into the man’s death ongoing,” police said in the statement on Friday.

Mr Randall’s relatives have now been updated with the tragic news, with a sister telling this publication that the family were unable to comment because of the ongoing police investigation.