Nathan Kyle: Langwarrin dog thief stole $3k groodle in Gumtree canine con
A thief who dognapped a $3000 puppy in an online scam admitted to a magistrate he was a “compulsive liar” — all from the comfort of his work van.
South East
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A puppy snatcher conned an online seller out of her $3000 ‘groodle’ by faking a bank transfer screenshot, a court has heard.
Nathan Kyle stole the pooch — a golden retriever and poodle cross — by mocking up a dodgy image detailing the supposed transfer of cash to the woman and then organising for the cute canine to be picked up.
But when the funds didn’t appear in her account the victim got suspicious and called in the police.
The Langwarrin 21-year-old also admitted a series of petrol and diesel drive-offs, most of them from the same Hastings servo.
He pleaded guilty to seven theft and deception charges at the online Frankston Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The court heard in October 2018 Kyle contacted a woman on Gumtree who was selling a groodle pup for $3000.
He arranged to buy the precious pooch and sent her a screenshot of what appeared to be the money going from his account into hers.
She organised for the dog to be delivered, believing the cash had been transferred as promised.
But when the money didn’t appear in her account she texted him asking why.
Over the next few days and weeks he continually fobbed her off with excuse after excuse until he stopped replying and she contacted police.
He was finally arrested in April 2019 and it was discovered he never did have $3000 in his account.
Kyle told cops after the theft he realised he didn’t have enough money to feed the growing groodle so gave the puppy to his dad.
He also admitted he never intended to pay for the pooch in the first place.
On Christmas Eve 2018 he ripped off a Langwarrin servo, stealing $52 of petrol, and on Boxing Day he stole $48 worth of fuel from a Hastings Coles Express.
Then in January and February 2019 he hit the Hastings 7-Eleven servo four times, driving off with a total of $320 worth of diesel.
Kyle represented himself in court — sitting in his work van — saying he was “a compulsive liar”.
The cabinet maker said at the time he knew he had no money to buy the dog because he had blown it “on unnecessary things”.
He said he was seeing a psychologist for his mental health issues and he had not been in trouble since these incidents.
He said his father had since paid for the dog in full and he had reimbursed the Hastings servos for the fuel he stole.
Magistrate Timothy Gattuso said the repeat offending was serious.
“You thought you could help yourself to petrol,” Mr Gattuso said.
“And clearly you were stringing (the dog owner) along; you never did have the money in your account.
“Ensure this doesn’t happen again or you could find yourself in custody.”
Kyle was convicted and fined a total of $2250.
