Troy Robertson, 46, and woman charged with theft, fraud from Taren Point retail store

A former retail employee charged over the alleged theft and fraud of nearly $600,000 has been named after his matter was adjourned in court.

Financial Crime Squad detectives have laid 159 charges against two former employees of a retail store following an investigation into alleged fraud and stealing offences.

A former retail employee charged over the alleged theft and fraud of nearly $600,000 had his matter adjourned after a brief mention in court.

Troy Robertson, 46, and a woman allegedly stole $594,000 from a business in Sydney’s south through fraudulent cheques and stolen cash between August 2020 and September 2022, and EFTPOS transactions between April 2012 and July 2019.

Robertson appeared before Liverpool Local Court on Wednesday where his case was adjourned for three weeks for the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to determine whether it will take charge of the matter.

In October last year, Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Financial Crime Squad’s Corporate Corruption Unit established Strike Force Gundle in October to investigate reports of crimes at a retail store in Taren Point.

As part of ongoing inquiries, police executed search warrants at the homes of the two former employees - in West Hoxton and Calderwood - on December 16, seizing documentation and electronic devices for further examination.

In documents tendered to Liverpool Local Court, police made several allegations, including that on August 18 2020, Robertson attended Westpac bank’s Sylvania branch and dishonestly deposited a Druin Pty Ltd ANZ Bank cheque worth $7,881.12 into his personal Westpac bank account.

A 49-year-old woman was arrested at Lake Illawarra Police Station and Robertson at Liverpool Police Station on February 22.

The woman was charged with 69 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and 55 counts of stealing property as a clerk or servant.

Robertson was charged with 35 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.

Robertson will appear before Sutherland Local Court in three weeks and the woman before Port Kembla Local Court on March 22.