What police officer Karen Yerbury said when she was arrested for fraud
The astonishing circumstances of a NSW Police senior sergeant’s arrest after a fraud investigation have been revealed as the arresting officer recalled what she allegedly said in the back of his police car.
St George Shire Standard
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A cop accused of faking her car’s theft for a five-figure insurance payout along with her ex-cheerleader daughter and two male associates allegedly told the arresting officers “there goes my career”.
Karen Yerbury, 53, was arrested by detectives from St George Police Area Command’s Professional Standards Committee in the middle of the busy morning peak hour at Hurstville train station on November 13, 2018 and charged with fraud over her alleged role in a clumsy plot to fake her Mazda Cx-5’s theft twice in May 2017 and February 2018.
Police allege she plotted the scam along with her daughter Regan, 23, her athletics coach Gavin Dunn and his associate Glenn Stone before claiming a $30,571.17 insurance payout on the stolen car.
Detective Sergeant Wesley Reddenbach testified at Downing Centre Local Court that after her arrest Karen Yerbury was told she did not have to say or do anything, and anything she did say could be recorded and used against her in court.
However, the now-suspended senior sergeant allegedly spoke up from the back seat of an unmarked police car as she was taken into custody at Kogarah police station.
“I think I know what this is about, I got a phone call about Gavin Dunn stealing my car,” Karen Yerbury allegedly said to Det Reddenbach and his colleague Detective Senior Constable Ben Scipione as they drove away.
“Oh my God, my daughter, my baby, you’re not getting her as well are you? There goes my career.”
The Yerburys, Dunn and Stone are facing a five-day hearing before Magistrate Julie Huber after they were charged with dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage in November 2018.
Police began investigating all four after another man was found in possession of Karen Yerbury’s allegedly stolen car in March 2018 – days after she had reported the car stolen and claimed the five-figure insurance payout from Swann Insurance.
Months later, that other man was jailed for taking and driving a vehicle without the owner’s consent - and then he allegedly reached out to police to claim the Yerburys, Dunn and Stone had arranged for him to take the car.
All four have pleaded not guilty to all charges and the hearing continues.