Jumping castle fugitive, wanted in Melbourne, nabbed for postal scam in Perth
A jumping castle company owner wanted in Melbourne over multimillion-dollar arsons of rival businesses has been arrested in Perth over a sophisticated postal scam. Here’s the latest.
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A jumping castle company owner wanted in Melbourne over multimillion-dollar arsons of rival businesses has been arrested in Perth over a sophisticated postal scam.
Fugitive James Balcombe, 55, was arrested by the Australian Federal Police on Tuesday for allegedly forging postal stamps.
AFP Detective Superintendent David Berston alleged Mr Balcombe was manufacturing high-quality counterfeit stamps and used them to provide free postage and handling to his customers.
“We will allege this man was forging stamps to create a financial advantage for himself,” he said.
“He was able to entice customers to his business and away from his competitors because the free postage made his products cheaper, creating an unfair playing field.”
Police seized fake stamps, a high-end printer, two unlicensed firearms, two prohibited flick knives and credit cards in other people’s names during a search of his home in Dianella.
Mr Balcombe will face the Perth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday charged with one count of forging a postage stamp which carries a maximum 10-year jail term.
It is expected he will later be extradited to Melbourne to face 11 arson and attempted arson offences.
Mr Balcombe, the owner of Awesome Party Hire, is accused of hiring two men to wipe out rival jumping castle businesses in Melbourne between December 2016 and February 2017.
The men, Craig Anderson and Peter George Smith, last year pleaded guilty to the $2 million torching spree of party hire companies in Werribee, Hallam, Tullamarine, Keysborough and Warragul.
Dozens of bouncing castles, a stretch limo and mechanical bull were also destroyed in an inferno at a Hoppers Crossing factory owned by A & A Jumping Castles.
The arsonists said Mr Balcombe offered them $10,000 to set fire to the businesses which he accused of stealing his ideas.
Police alleged Mr Balcombe had a shed on his Kangaroo Ground property set alight in 2017 to avoid suspicion over the arsons.
Anderson was sentenced to 11 years and nine months jail but had the term reduced on appeal to eight years and six months and Smith’s sentence of three years and six months jail was also reduced to two years and four months.
Victoria Police issued a warrant for Mr Balcombe last October after he dodged court three times.
He came unstuck in Perth after Australia Post staff noticed inconsistencies with his stamps and seized hundreds of suspect items.
Almost 700 mail items with alleged fake stamps valued at $2300 were detected but far more could have been sent.
Detective Superintendent Berston said: “We allege this conduct put his customers at risk of not receiving the goods they purchased in good faith, with Australia Post needing to intercept and hold hundreds of mail items that had counterfeit stamps.”
“This crime also siphons money away from Australian taxpayers because Australia Post is owned by the Commonwealth Government.”
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