Kelsie Birmingham charged with receiving ‘stolen’ goods worth $250,000
Police have gathered 15 folders of evidence in the case against a property stylist and three alleged accomplices who allegedly stole $250,000 of furniture from a Sydney factory.
St George Shire Standard
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A property stylist and three alleged accomplices accused of stealing $250,000 of furniture from a Sydney warehouse will face court again after police gathered 15 folders of evidence in the bizarre case against them.
Kelsie Birmingham, 28, pleaded not guilty to dealing with property proceeds of crime worth more than $100,000 and participating in a criminal group after police allegedly discovered tables, lounges, rugs and picture frames worth $246,431.74 in her Caringbah factory in April.
Police allege Birmingham knew the massive furniture haul had been stolen in a break-and-enter at Lounge Lovers’ Revesby factory before receiving them at her self-described “warehouse full of magic” where she was establishing her new business, Salt Property Styling.
Her co-accused, Caringbah man Daniel Willoughby, 31, Engadine man Luke Gowan, 31, and Wattle Grove woman Leica Bartrim, 50, have been charged with aggravated break and enter in company and participating in a criminal group after they allegedly stole the furniture on March 28.
Bartrim has also been charged with stealing property as a clerk or servant in relation to the alleged incident.
Prosecutors will determine which charges will proceed against the alleged syndicate when they face Downing Centre Local Court for charge certification on December 5.
In September at Sutherland Local Court prosecutors were granted more time to serve the brief of evidence on the group’s solicitors as they had to work through 15 folders of evidence after their arrests in April.
Birmingham, Willoughby and Gowan have also been charged with resisting police after a scuffle allegedly broke out when police arrived at Birmingham’s factory to make the arrests.
Experienced property stylist Birmingham described herself on her website as “insanely passionate, a little wild and altogether weird”.
“In real estate, the visual appeal of a property is its number one selling point,” Birmingham wrote.
“We don’t just throw some cushions down and hope for the best — styling a property is a mix between art and science.”
All four members of the alleged syndicate are on bail.
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