Pakenham alleged phone scammer Robert Wilson says $3k cash find was ‘won on pokies’
When a raid in Pakenham uncovered $2900 in a man’s bedroom, he told police he won the cash during a lucky streak on the pokies. But cops say it wasn’t the one-armed bandits that loaded the man’s pockets.
South East
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A “pokies-winning” alleged scammer accused of using stolen documents to set up new mobile accounts and then onsell the phones for cash has been bailed.
Robert Francis Wilson is also alleged to have been involved in the theft of six guns and is accused of possessing ice and a Viagra-like drug called Phentolamine.
The Pakenham 39-year-old told cops that the $2900 they uncovered in his bedroom was winnings from pokies and not the proceeds of crime from phone deceptions.
Wilson applied for bail at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Monday facing a total of 20 charges relating to handling stolen goods, drugs, weapons and bail breaches.
Police opposed his application saying he was too much of a risk as he has a 32-page rap sheet, had broken bail conditions 21 times and been the subject of five warrants for his arrest over the past 10 years.
He had also been jailed for 45 days in July for breaking into an abandoned house and stealing copper.
The court heard a Berwick house was burgled in August last year, with two males seen entering the property on CCTV.
The pair rifled through the house and stole six firearms, a motorbike and personal documents.
In November last year and February this year two separate victims received mobile phone bills — one of them the Berwick homeowner — about new phone contracts they had not set up.
Police raided Wilson’s house in February, allegedly finding SIM cards and paperwork linked to the burglary, $2900 in cash, ammunition, a vial of Phentolamine and a small bag of what is believed to be ice.
He told officers he had some big wins recently at several pokies venues to explain why he had such a large amount of money in his possession.
His defence lawyer said the firearms were not discovered at Wilson’s address and he did have wins at pub pokies which he could prove.
She said he had his mother’s support, stable accommodation and there would be lengthy delays to get the drugs tested, which would be unfair on her client if he remained behind bars.
Wilson’s mother Josie appeared by video link, saying her son was “a good person, a kind person” and she would put in place “a contract” to make sure he didn’t reoffend.
Magistrate Andrew Halse said the police case “was not overwhelming” and with appropriate bail conditions Mr Wilson’s risk of reoffending could be mitigated.
He was bailed to live at his mother’s house in Pakenham, abide by a night curfew, not use drugs, not attend licensed or gaming venues and return to court on October 16.
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